Fired-up Peter Dutton claims Australia could have avoided tariff blow if Anthony Albanese had 'done the work' in brutal sledge on live TV
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Peter Dutton claims Australia could have secured a tariff deal with the US if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had 'done the work'.
Donald Trump delivered his 'Liberation Day' address announcing new global tariffs with Australia being slapped with 10 per cent on all exports to the US.
The Opposition Leader agreed Mr Albanese's five-step plan to rid Australia of the 10 per cent tariff was achievable during an appearance on Sunrise on Friday.
But he slammed the PM for failing to take action earlier in the year.
'The engagement needs to be with the US but it should have been taking place really from January,' Mr Dutton told the Channel Seven hosts.
'The problem is that the Prime Minister hasn't been able to get even a phone call, let alone a meeting with the president.
'The ambassador can't get into the West Wing. It shows that had we done the work beforehand, I think there was a deal to be struck.'
Mr Dutton said he's confident he could secure Australia an exemption from tariffs if he wins the federal election.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton took a swipe at Anthony Albanese, claiming Australia could have secured a tariff deal with the US if the Prime Minister had 'done the work'
'When we were in government last time, when President Trump was in the Oval Office, we were able to negotiate an exemption for Australia,' he said.
'It was at zero per cent, other countries had the tariff applied, we didn't and that's because we put work into the relationship and we've got connections with those within a position of influence.
'I think there is a deal to be done there... and I do think that the 10 per cent is just leverage. It's a negotiating tactic and I think we can get a good outcome.'
But Minister for Education Jason Clare slammed Mr Dutton's claims, saying it was 'ridiculous' the Opposition Leader believed he would have got a different result.
He said Mr Dutton would 'take a knee' to the United States.
'[Peter Dutton] beats his chest and pretends that he's tough,' Mr Clare said.
'Really, what he's talking about here is trying to, you know, do a deal with the United States. Peter Dutton more likely would write a book called The Art of the Kneel.
'We're not going to bend the knee to the United States. We're going to stand up for Australia every single time.'
Australia was slapped with a new 10 per cent tariff on all exports to the US in Trump's 'Liberation Day' address (pictured)
Mr Clare said Australia had already offered what Mr Dutton had proposed and the US rejected the deal.
He added the outcome would not have been different even if Mr Albanese flew to the US and spoke personally with Trump.
'Japan did that, the UK did that, they can't get a better deal,' Clare said.
'Donald Trump put tariffs on an island where there are no human beings, there are just penguins. So it is just ridiculous for Peter Dutton to be saying this could have happened but that's just typical of Peter Dutton.'
It comes after Mr Albanese confirmed Australia would not reciprocate despite slamming Trump's tariff as 'totally unwarranted'.
'For Australia, these tariffs are not unexpected, but let me be clear - they are totally unwarranted,' the PM said on Thursday.
'President Trump referred to reciprocal tariffs. A reciprocal tariff would be zero, not 10 per cent. The administration's tariffs have no basis in logic and they go against the bases of our two nation's partnership.
'This is not the act of a friend.'
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) confirmed Australia would not reciprocate despite labelling the Trump's tariff as 'totally unwarranted'
