Dutton says Trump would be first leader he meets as PM
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The news: Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he would seek a meeting with US President Donald Trump soon after being elected as he sought to lay blame on the Albanese government for not being prepared for the new administration.
The context: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been unable to secure an exemption from Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium and has not been able to talk with Trump over the phone in recent weeks.
Dutton, meanwhile, has been criticised by Labor for not going hard enough on Trump since Australia was hit with tariffs.
In a keynote speech to the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Dutton lashed Trump’s “unjustified” tariffs but argued he was better suited than Albanese to deal with the US president.
He also singled out Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, for his past comments about Trump, saying the “ambassador seems to be persona non grata” and “the prime minister can’t get a phone call or a visit to Washington”.
Dutton said the breakdown in communication at the senior level “doesn’t bode well for whatever is coming next”, referencing the expected second round of tariffs to hit from early next month.
He said Rudd should have deleted tweets critical of Trump well before he elected, which would have allowed him to have greater access with the incoming administration.
The speech was briefly interrupted by a climate protestor who stood up and started shouting as he held up a banner that read "Nuclear lies". Security then grabbed the man and removed him from the room.
What they said: Dutton also spoke about criticism of Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from US drug companies, as well as Trump's efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia.
“I want the Australian people to know that I will stand up and defend the PBS — which is the envy of the world — against any attempt to undermine its integrity, including by major pharmaceutical companies,” Dutton said.
“We will work with our most important ally, the US, but we will fight against any big drug company imposing tariffs on our PBS.
“The PBS — just like Medicare — is the fundamental basis of our healthcare system, and it will always be supported, strengthened, and defended by a Coalition Government.
“There is no equivalence between President Zelenskyy and President Putin.
“Zelenskyy is a democratically elected and inspirational wartime leader who is heroically leading his people in their fight for freedom.
"Whereas Putin is an unelected dictator who invaded Ukraine as a first step in his ambitions to restore the imperial Russian empire of old.
“Like others, I was deeply disappointed by the treatment of President Zelenskyy at the White House.
“But the Trump Administration wants peace and an end to the conflict — and we share that objective.
“We all hope there can be a decent and lasting peace — no more so than the people of Ukraine.
“However, it will be an uneasy peace if Ukraine is not provided with robust and lasting security guarantees given Putin’s track record in breaking peace agreements.
“The question for Australia is, what role should we play?
The source: Opposition leader's office
