Australian Workers’ Union Media Release
Australia’s steel and aluminium industries can not only survive but thrive in the face of Donald Trump’s tariffs if the government acts decisively, according to the Australian Workers’ Union.
The AWU has long been calling for a range of measures that could support Australia’s steel and aluminium sectors to manage headwinds, grow and develop into true global leaders in the 21st century.
AWU National Secretary Paul Farrow said while Trump’s tariffs were obviously a risk, the silver lining would be if they spurred Australia to wake up and act.
“Australia is very good at making steel and aluminium. Trump knows it and it’s about time we recognise it too,” Mr Farrow said.
“We need to stop eating this crap we’ve been fed by the Coalition that Australians can’t make things competitively.
“What the government must do now is simple. Australian steel and Australian aluminium must be mandated for use in all Australian infrastructure and government buildings from this point onward.
“Australia’s purist free market approach on procurement was naive a decade ago, sticking to it now would be sheer idiocy. If government money is being used to build, say, a wind turbine then the towers should be made from Australian steel.
“We know China and others have been dumping steel and aluminium below cost on our market and we need to stop that now. Allowing below-cost foreign steel into the country is a short-term sugar hit that would completely screw us tomorrow. The government should act now and the Opposition should quickly back it.
“Australia absolutely can and should be a green heavy manufacturing powerhouse of the 21st century. But to get there we need to keep our industries rolling today through this hurdle, and that means toughening up on procurement and anti-dumping measures.”
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In answer to the Trump announced tariffs on Australia’s exports into the USA, I believe our nation has an excellent retaliatory action that would see our nation excluded from Donald Trump’s punishing
financial tariffs.
I do not believe that our nation charges the USA an annual rental fee for hosting their US Southern Spy agency, known to us as Pine Gap.
Effectively, the only danger to our nation appears to be from the USA itself.
All well and good for the US to claim that Pine Gap is a joint Australia and USA intelligence agency, it is doubtful that the secretive intelligence gained through the Pine Gap installation, is shared with our own national intelligence agency.
Therefore, a suggested Annual rental: @ $AU10 Billion but payable in our Australian dollars.
The value of one Australian dollar appears to be locked in by the US financial system now for a great many years, at around AU63 odd cents. How? Why?
Our nation would be far better off becoming a member nation of the B.R.I.C.S. monetary system.
https://michaelwest.com.au/six-eyes-australias-secret-support-for-the-israeli-assault-on-gaza-through-pine-gap/
Yes, the Australian government – OUR government – must act decisively. Right NOW. Is Albanese even capable of that???
Retaliation can come on a personal basis, cancelling subscriptions, not buying US made products and following the suggestion in the article, that Aussie made steel and aluminium be used in construction.
I see so much of our Iron ore come back as steel to be iused in the building and construction industries. Surely we can make our own.
I subscribe to the school of thought that suggests we charge the US for facilities it uses in Australia. If Trump doesn’t like it he can take his metaphorical bat and ball and go home. Of course he could regard this as hostile actions and decide to invade us then we’d be up shit creek in a barbwire canoe without a paddle, but some wiser American heads might prevail. Alternately, again he might mark us down for the 52nd state, after all we’re almost there now.