Australia seeks exemption from US steel and aluminum tariffs
SYDNEY — Australia’s Trade minister said its steel and aluminum exports to the US create “good paying American jobs” and are key to shared defense interests, as Canberra presses Washington for an exemption to President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs.
Mr. Trump said on Sunday he will introduce new 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the US, on top of existing metals duties, in another major escalation of his trade policy overhaul.
Trade Minister Don Farrell said on Monday that Australia, a key US security ally in the Indo-Pacific, was making the case for “free and fair trade, including access into the US market for Australian steel and aluminum” in meetings with the Trump administration.
“Australian steel and aluminum is creating thousands of good paying American jobs, and are key for our shared defense interests,” he said in a statement.
Mr. Farrell is yet to meet with his US counterpart who has not been confirmed in the role, but Australian officials have been making representations on aluminum and steel exports for several months, seeking to secure a similar exemption from tariffs it won during the previous Trump presidency in 2018.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told national parliament on Monday he was scheduled to talk with Mr. Trump and would raise the matter.
“We will continue to make the case to the United States for Australia to be given an exemption to any steel and aluminum tariffs,” he said in parliament.
Defense Minister Richard Marles met his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington on Friday, with Australia making its first $500-million payment to boost production in the US submarine industry under the AUKUS defense project that will see Australia buy several US nuclear-powered submarines and also build submarines.
Australian processed steel was purchased by the largest US military shipbuilder as AUKUS partners Australia, Britain and the US seek to integrate defense supply chains, the Australian government said last year.
Shares in Australian-listed BlueScope Steel rose nearly 2% on expectations its US business would gain from the tariffs. It operates the North Star Mill in Ohio and employs around 4,000 people in the United States. — Reuters
