Don Farrell says placing a tariff on a country where there is a trade deficit ‘doesn’t make any sense’ after US president announced blanket 25% duty.
Australia’s trade minister has denied the Trump administration’s claims local aluminium producers are “killing” America’s market, rejecting US allegations at the centre of the tariff standoff that Canberra had breached a Morrison-era handshake deal to limit exports.
Don Farrell says he “can’t predict” when the US president, Donald Trump, might come to a decision on whether to grant Australia an exemption to 25% steel and aluminium tariffs, but has argued bluntly that such trade barriers would be harmful.
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