Q: In just over a week from today it’s Liberation Daily in the US, when US President Donald Trump will announce his new tariff regime. They wanted to check, in advance of that, and just now Donald Trump has said there will be very limited exemptions to the tariffs that are due to come into place, in advance of that day have you had any conversations with your counterpart, has the Government had any conversations with the Trump Administration to try to secure one of those exemptions and have you been given any guarantees?

Chalmers:

No, is the answer to the last part of your question. We take no outcome or no option for granted, but we are engaging, as you would expect us to, wherever we can, we are engaging. And we’re speaking up for in standing for Australia’s interest. You know, there are two kinds of concern associated with these escalating trade tensions for us. The direct impact on our industries and workers and businesses, obviously a big concern, we want to make sure we don’t trade away or give away the sorts of things that we cherish.

The previous is obviously a good example of that. But more broadly as well these escalating trade tensions are very substantial concern. You know, trade tensions, as you know and as your news organisation knows risk high inflation and slower growth at a time when the world is just coming to the good and of these inflationary pressures and we’ve had a period and expect a period of slow growth, so growth has not been thick on the ground in inflation has been a challenge and so we don’t want to see these escalating trade tensions make things worse.

We will continue to engage where we can, will continue to speak up instead stand up for Australia’s interest, and I’m sure that the outcome of President Trump as my deliberations will be known before long.