Australian news and politics recap April 3: Anthony Albanese falls off stage on campaign trail in NSW

American officials have told the Australian Government the impost is only the flat 10 per cent on all Australian imports to the US.

There is no ban on Australian beef, despite what US President Donald Trump implied during his announcement.

Raw American beef has been banned from Australia since 2003 to protect our cattle industry from mad cow disease, or BSE.

The US President singled out the beef ban during his remarks in the White House Rose Garden earlier.

“We imported $3 billion 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,” he said.

“And you know what? I don’t blame them, but we’re doing the same thing right now, starting at midnight tonight, I would say.”

Australia is waiting to see the actual paperwork implementing the tariffs, but multiple senior government sources say US officials have assured them there is no ban on beef.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for being unable to get US President Donald Trump on the phone.

He told 2GB that Mr Trump had put forward a negotiating position, but there’s been “no significant negotiation”.

“There has been a significant failing, and we need to be strong and to stand up for our country’s interests,” he said.

He said ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd’s historic comments, and those made by Mr Albanese in the past, had cursed the pair.

“It’s obviously a dysfunctional relationship, and we need to make sure that we stand up for our country’s interests,” he said.

“The Prime Minister can’t get a phone call, can’t get a meeting, and I hope that happens soon, because it’s in our country’s best interests.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed concerns about the potential economic ripple effects of US tariffs.

He labelled the tariffs as “an act of economic self-harm” and warned that the United States’ decision could lead to a contractionary effect on international economic activity.

“What we are most concerned about isn’t just the direct impact on Australia, because the United States is the largest economy in the world, what we’re concerned about here is this triggering lower global economic growth and lower global economic activity, therefore, and that having a contractionary impact on the global economy,” the Labor leader told ABC Melbourne radio on Thursday.

He said that as a trading nation where “one in four of our jobs depends upon international trade,” Australia was particularly vulnerable to global economic disruptions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia will progress with a five-point response plan in the wake of Donald Trump sweeping up local exports in his tariff regime.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday in his ‘Liberation Day’ address, the president said the US has been ‘looted, pillaged, raped and plundered’ by foreign countries.

The PM’s five points include: strengthening the anti-dumping regime, supporting affected sectors, expanding trade relationships with new markets, establishing an economic resilience program through a national reconstruction fund, encouraging people to buy Australian and establishing a critical mineral strategic reserve.

“My job is to engage diplomatically (and) engage in a sober, mature, and calibrated way,” he told ABC Melbourne radio on Thursday.

“This is an act of economic self-harm.

“The United States economy will be impacted negatively by this. I firmly believe that that is the case.

“We’ll wait and see what the impact is, not just for the United States, as relations with the world.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described Australia’s position on banning social media for young Australians as “world-leading” and “not up for negotiation” with the US.

It comes as Donald Trump announced Australia among his targets in his latest round of sweeping tariffs in his “Liberation Day” address at the White House.

Giant tech companies, including Amazon, Meta, X, Apple, and Google, had urged Trump last month to target Australian media laws in his new regime.

Speaking in Melbourne on Thursday, the PM referenced a personal discussion with Kelly O’Brien about the loss of her daughter Charlotte, which highlighted the need for responsible social media regulation.

“Our position is not up for negotiation, whether it be the news media bargaining code or whether it be the social media position, which is world-leading,” he said.

“If you speak to a parent who’s lost their child, you cannot help but act. In my view, we have a responsibility as adults to respond to what is going on.”

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox says Donald Trump’s announcement is disappointing but not unexpected from “an American administration hellbent on remaking the international economic order”.

“It also sends an ominous signal about what comes next,” he says, warning of costs being driven up for businesses and consumers as countries start to respond.

“It is particularly bad news for our nation, because we rely on trade for our economic prosperity more than any other economy on earth, with one in four jobs dependent on trade.”

He also warns against an influx of goods from other countries that might have otherwise been headed for the US, calling for the Government to beef up its anti-dumping regime and increase transparency.

Simon Stahl, head of the Northern Co-operative Meat Company beef producers, said the industry appeared to be “collateral damage” in Donald Trump’s desire to boost US manufacturing.

“If you look at the US beef industry, they’re the largest in the world. There’s really no argument to onboard the US beef industry,” he told the ABC.

American raw beef imports into Australia were banned in 2003 because of fears about spreading mad cow disease, or BSE.

Mr Stahl said there was a review of those protocols either imminent or underway already.

“If the science says that it’s safe to eat American beef, I think we should allow US beef into our market,” he said.

NFF president David Jochinke said biosecurity was Australian farming’s “number one” and nothing should be allowed to undermine that.

“If our biosecurity is weakened or watered down for a trade purpose, it basically undermines our ability to produce the high-quality food that we not only enjoy domestically, but internationally,” he told reporters in Canberra.”

“We’re not going to be having any technical discussions about carving out any deals for any nation when we’ve got the stake of not only Australian agriculture but our community to protect.”

He said there were processes being put into place so beef imports could be considered “if strict protocols are adhered to”.

Trade Minister Don Farrell says the Government is exploring all options after Australia was swept up in Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs regime.

He has committed to meeting with his European counterpart on Monday to mend trade relationships with the EU.

The Minister has also spruiked his previous work in the lead up to Thursday’s imposed tariffs to meet with trading partners last month to discuss expanding their relationships and Australian exporter groups.

“On Monday afternoon, I’m talking with my European counterpart. We all know what happened the last time we had discussions with the Europeans. I think things have changed,” Mr Farrell said on Thursday morning.

“The opportunity to have further negotiations about a free trade agreement are on better terms than have been previously offered.”

Big business is “deeply disappointed” by the tariffs while praising the behind the scene work from Australian officials including ambassador Kevin Rudd.

“The United States is a long-standing friend and ally and we’ve historically stood together through thick and thin, and so every Australian should be disappointed by these tariffs,” Business Council of Australia Bran Black said.

“The government, Ambassador Rudd and our officials have worked tirelessly behind the scenes – against great odds – and it’s clear these tariffs have been widely targeted.

“There are so many reasons why Australia should be exempt from any tariffs, including that the US has a trade surplus with us and the existence of long-standing cultural and military ties between our countries, especially now with the AUKUS agreement.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his Government will not seek to impose reciprical tariffs on the US after US President Donald Trump slapped a 10 per cent tariff on Australia.

“The unilateral action that the Trump administration has taken today against every nation in the world does not come as a surprise,” Mr Albanese said from Melbourne.

“For Australia, these tariffs are not unexpected, but let me be clear: they are totally unwarranted.

“President Trump referred to reciprocal tariffs. A reciprocal tariff would be zero, not 10 per cent.

“The administration’s tariffs have no basis in logic, and they go against the basis of our two nations’ partnership.

“This is not the act of a friend. Today’s decision will add to uncertainty in the global economy, and it will push up costs for American households.

“It is the American people who will pay the biggest price for these unjustified tariffs.

“This is why our Government will not be seeking to impose reciprocal tariffs.”