Australian officials have hailed being left in the “best possible position” after the nation’s US exports were spared from Donald’s Trump’s latest round of tariffs.
The White House confirmed tariffs on Australian exports would remain at the baseline rate of 10 per cent, quashing fears the levies could be doubled.
The Trump administration released details of country-specific tariff rates for dozens of nations only hours before its self-imposed deadline of August 1 was breached.
New Zealand goods will be subject to a greater 15 per cent tariff, as will US imports from Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
More punitive rates have been imposed on products from several major US trading partners, including Canada and India.
The new tariffs are due to come into effect on August 7.
A spokesman for Trade Minister Don Farrell said Australia would continue to press for the removal of tariffs.
“The White House has confirmed that no country has reciprocal tariffs lower than Australia,” the spokesman said on Friday.
“While we remain in the best possible position under the United States’ new tariff regime, we will continue to advocate for the removal of all tariffs in line with our free-trade agreement.”
In a statement, the White House said tariffs were increased on countries that failed to engage in negotiations with the United States or to take adequate steps to align sufficiently on economic and national security matters”.
The Albanese government recently wound back biosecurity restrictions on US beef imports, although ministers insisted the move was a coincidence and not in response to the tariffs.
The US has complained to Australia about non-tariff trade barriers in place, including long-standing restrictions on beef following a prior outbreak of mad cow disease.
The US president has struck trade agreements with major partners such as Japan and the European Union after threatening them with punitive tariffs.
Australia has yet to sign a formal trade deal with the US following the introduction of the tariffs.
The coalition has also been placing pressure on the federal government to arrange a one-on-one meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mr Trump.
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