‘Unique relationship’: Calls for Australia to stop Trump’s tariffs

Nationals leader David Littleproud Australia should use its relationship with the United States to help lobby against Donald Trump’s global tariffs.

Australia has a unique relationship with the United States that should be used to fight US President Donald Trump’s new global tariff regime, Nationals leader David Littleproud says.

Appearing on ABC Insiders, Mr Littleproud says Australia has a global responsibility to lead the world to work on getting President Trump to overturn the “reciprocal” tariffs he announced last Thursday AEDT.

“This is a Big Mac tax that the people of the United States will feel it in a very lived experience in the next three to six months, because they are still going to have to import beef,” Mr Littleproud said.

That was a reference to the impost McDonald’s would have to pay on the Australian meat it imports for its hamburger patties after President Trump slapped 10 per cent tariff on Australia.

Mr Littleproud said Australia should be leading the talks with the US over the tariff plans.

“It’s not just thing Brand Australia but taking a leadership role globally, being able to demonstrate to that this is bad policy for the United States, bad for Australia but bad policy for the world,” he said.

“We have an international responsibility to lead that. Because we have that relationship, we should be able to lean in.”

David Littleproud called the tariff a Big Mac tax Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

President Trump’s announcement came on day six of the May 3 federal election with an immediate response from the Prime Minister who described the 10 per cent tariff – the lowest rate imposed – as “unwarranted”.

Anthony Albanese said Australia would not apply retaliatory tariffs, but would continue to negotiate with the US while ruling out backing down on key areas.

On Sunday, he again reiterated his government would not compromise to get a more favourable trade deal on the PBS or beef, which are front and centre of the US tariffs on Australia.

“We cannot choose what challenges will arise, but we can determine how we respond,” Mr Albanese said.

“That’s why we made it clear to the United States that our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is not up for negotiation.”

“That’s why we spelled out the fact we will not compromise biosecurity standards for Queensland beef.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia wouldn’t negotiate while on the campaign trail in Queensland. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

Mr Littleproud accused the Australian government of being placid with their response to the tariffs, pointing to the exemption Australia received last time the President Trump put tariffs on imports.

“We should be making sure we leverage every position, as we did in 2018, but we have also got a global responsibility, to lead the world, because we do have that unique relationship with the United States,” Mr Littleproud said.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong disputed these claims.

“One of the things that struck me when I was listening to (Mr Littleproud) was (the Coalition) don’t understand the extent to which the world has changed,” she said.

Last week, President Trump singled out Australian beef as part of a wide ranging speech on tariffs, touted as Liberation Day for the United States.

“Australia bans – and they’re wonderful people, and wonderful everything – but they ban American beef,” President Trump said.

“Yet we imported $3bn of Australian beef from them just last year alone.

“They won’t take any of our beef. They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers. And you know, I don’t blame them.”

Donald Trump eating McDonalds. Picture: Instagram

Household names including McDonald’s, Burger King and Costco source around $3bn worth of Australian beef, which the US claims is unfair as Australia does not import fresh beef.

Australia has disputed these claims, highlighting biosecurity concerns of importing cattle.

Mr Littleproud said the world “will try to trade around the US as much as it can” and there will be perverse outcomes for US farmers in the long term.

President Donald Trump serves French fries as an employee during last years election campaign. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

The likely increasing cost of a Big Mac even for President Trump, a noted supporter of the fast food chain.

Ahead of the 2024 election, Mr Trump campaigned from a McDonald’s restaurant, donning an apron and getting in front of a fryer, in an election stunt aimed at opponent Kamala Harris, after casting doubts she ever worked for the fast food chain.

He was also photographed on a plane with a photo of Elon Musk, Robert F Kennedy Jr and Donald Trump Jr going viral for the spread of McDonald’s food laid out in front of the group.

In 2023, Mr Trump told workers at a McDonald’s store in Ohio: “I know this menu better than you do.”

Originally published as ‘Unique relationship’: Calls for Australia to stop Trump’s tariffs