Independent Candidate for Groom responds to Trump tariff announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 10/02/2025
In response to the Trump administration’s announcement of new tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports, including those from Australia, Independent candidate for Groom Suzie Holt supports the call for the Albanese government to continue to press Australia’s interest.
“I’ve spent this morning consulting with trade economists and exporters in our region,” said Ms Holt.
“We’re encouraged by the response of the government to act quickly and decisively to protect Australia’s interests.”
Ms Holt supports Australia taking a calm and clear approach with the new US Administration, stressing the need to avoid rash decisions and retaliation.
“We don’t yet know how these tariffs may impact Australia. Should we be unable to secure an exemption as we have done in the past, sales of steel and aluminium to the US will certainly be less profitable, however this could be offset by competitiveness gained in other markets. We just don’t know yet.”
“What we do know is that where we are most at risk is from the indirect impact of a global trade war. The US- Canada, US-Mexico, and US- China trading relationships are the three most significant in the world,” said Ms Holt.
“Should a truce not be found between their administrations, there is a significant possibility of a global trade war that could plunge our major trading partners into recession and have a strong impact on the price we can demand for our resource exports.”
“This highlights the need for the Australian economy as a whole, and the regional economy in particular, to develop and diversify in order to insure ourselves against the impacts of drops in commodity prices. When elected, I plan to lead the development of a National Regional Strategy, of which Australia is in dire need, to ensure that the regions receive the amount of federal funding equivalent to their contribution to gross domestic product. This will mean opportunities for regional businesses to develop new export markets and trading partnerships without relying on a multinational corporation as an intermediary to negotiate and therefore absorb the profit.”
Concluded Ms Holt, “regional Australians have more to offer the world economy than what they can dig up and sell. With the right investment into infrastructure, education, and development, we can be the linchpin of a diversified, sophisticated and adaptable national economy."