This is the biggest story of the day, one of the biggest of the years. Donald Trump has decided he will not give Australia an exemption to a 25 per cent tariff on aluminium and steel exports. No country has been given an exemption. We are supposed to have a good relationship with the United States. That's now in question. Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, joins me. Mr Albanese, thank you for your time.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be with you, Clinton.
MAYNARD: February 11th, you had a phone call with Donald Trump and it seemed to be quite positive. It seemed that we were heading towards getting an exemption. We're not. Have you failed?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, President Trump, of course, has made this decision to exclude any country, not just Australia, we're not being singled out here. But this is not the action of a friendly nation. It's not justified. The fact is that the United States has enjoyed a trade surplus with Australia since the Truman Administration. And we put forward a very strong case for an exemption. We'll continue to advocate for an exemption. The last time around when President Trump was in office, it took some months in order to secure that exemption. So, we'll continue to put Australia's case forward.
MAYNARD: Not an action of a friendly nation. So, Prime Minister, are you saying the United States is no longer friendly with Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: No, what I'm saying is that this is a decision that will hurt American consumers. Australia produces quality steel and quality aluminium and this action is, I believe, unjustified, what it will do is just increase the cost for consumers in the United States who are purchasing our steel or our aluminium. Importantly, to put this in context, neither steel or aluminium are in the top 10 when it comes to the products that Australia exports to the United States.
MAYNARD: Peter Dutton though today, Prime Minister, has said because of your inability to deal with the issue, this is a quote from him, "Australian jobs are now at risk." That you've put Australian industry at risk.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Peter Dutton, you get the sense that whenever he gets the chance to back Australia he looks at other options. And the role of Leader of the Opposition isn't to oppose Australia's interests, and he should be backing Australia rather than backing the Trump Administration.
MAYNARD: But to be fair, he's also been critical of tariff increases.
PRIME MINISTER:He never takes an opportunity to actually show that he's an adult and is fit to be the alternative Prime Minister, he consistently takes an opportunistic road. He knows that every single country in the world has been subject to this at least 25 per cent tariff. In Canada's case, it may well be more. And you know, it is just a fact, unfortunately, that Peter Dutton always looks for the opportunistic political grab rather than backing Australia.
MAYNARD: Well, let's move Peter Dutton to one side. You're the boss, Albo, have you called Mr Trump in the last couple of weeks?
PRIME MINISTER: What we've done is put in now a request for a call. We have written to President Trump. We have engaged with all of -
MAYNARD: But have you actually called him?
PRIME MINISTER: Our diplomatic efforts, we have reached out to President Trump and to people in the Administration. As late as today, his person with responsibility for this was meeting with our Ambassador -
MAYNARD: But in fairness, Mr Albanese, this is what Mr Trump said about you in February.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Very fine man.
CLINTON MAYNARD: So, you've clearly got a reasonably warm relationship. Why can't you get on the phone with him personally?
PRIME MINISTER: We do. We have had two -
MAYNARD: We or you?
PRIME MINISTER: We have had a constructive relationship and we've had two very constructive discussions. We have put in a request for a conversation again to take place in recent days, and we'll continue to advocate for Australia's national interest.
MAYNARD: Mr Turnbull, you know about his intervention this week, he has described politicians around the world as sycophants, a conga line of sycophants at the Oval Office door. Is Mr Trump a bully?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I want to engage constructively with President Trump. That's my responsibility as the Australian Prime Minister and I'll continue to do so. Malcolm Turnbull's a former Prime Minister, he's entitled to say whatever he likes in using his freedom of expression, but he in no way represents the Australian Government.
MAYNARD: But what about Mr Trump? Is he a bully?
PRIME MINISTER: Mr Trump is someone who I have had two very constructive discussions with on the issue of tariffs. We clearly have a different view. It is my Government's view that free and fair trade benefits both of our nations.
MAYNARD: Certainly.
PRIME MINISTER: It has been of substantial benefit, not just for the United States, but for Australia as well. And when you put this in context, what's happening here is that every single country that exports aluminium or steel to the United States will have this tariff imposed. What that means is increased costs, not here, but increased costs for the purchases of steel or aluminium in the United States. It will increase their costs and increase their inflation, which is why it's counterproductive, which is why today I've said that we won't be reciprocating because that would just push up prices for Australian consumers.
MAYNARD: I hope, Prime Minister, you can get on the phone to him. Just on another issue, Simon Holmes à Court, the leader of Climate 200, has made his first major address to the National Press Club today. It's on the public record, 35 candidates they're supporting, independent candidates mostly in Coalition seats. There are only four Labor seats that they're targeting. That looks like there's some sort of deal between Labor and Climate 200 and the Teals. Are you going to sign up with those Teals after the election?
PRIME MINISTER: What I'm going to do is sign up with the Labor Party as the Labor leader and I'm seeking a majority government after the election.
MAYNARD: Would you prefer to be in a minority government with the Teals after the election or in opposition?
PRIME MINISTER: I want to be a majority government after the election and that is what I intend to do. It's only Labor that has a positive agenda for the next term. We have dealt with inflation, it is now down with a two in front. Wages are increasing, the interest rates are coming down, they were going up when we were elected. We have created on our watch 1.15 million jobs and we've got an agenda for future growth, as well as dealing with issues like child care, like our aged care reforms, Strengthening Medicare. And we'll be putting forward our strong case for a majority Labor government after the election.
MAYNARD: So, that means no deal with the Teals?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't want to deal with anybody. The only political party that is seeking to be majority government after the next election is the Australian Labor Party.
MAYNARD: That is true.
PRIME MINISTER: The Coalition, by definition, are a coalition of political parties when they start.
MAYNARD: Which Mr Holmes à Court has pointed out today as well. Prime Minister, thank you for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much.
