AUSTRALIAN PM CANDIDATES RULE OUT NEGOTIATIONS WITH US ON TRADE GRIEVANCES

CANBERRA, April 1 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Australia's prime ministerial candidates have ruled out negotiating with the United States on trade grievances listed in a new report, Xinhua reported.

The annual US National Trade Estimate report, which was released on Monday in Washington ahead of President Donald Trump's plan to announce new tariffs on Wednesday, identified Australia's biosecurity, pharmaceutical and news bargaining laws as unresolved issues affecting American exports.

Responding to the report on the campaign trail for Australia's upcoming general election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that the three issues were not up for negotiation.

"I have very clearly indicated Australia is not negotiating over the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. We are not negotiating over the news bargaining code. We will not undermine our biosecurity," Albanese, whose Labor Party is seeking a second term in government at the May 3 election, told reporters in South Australia.

   "Those issues are not up for negotiation. Not on my watch."

   Australia's strict biosecurity laws prohibit the import of uncooked American beef, pork and poultry products, as well as apples and pears, to protect native wildlife from foreign diseases.

   In addition to biosecurity, Monday's report from the US Trade Representative raised concerns over Australia's pharmaceutical laws and the news media bargaining code, which requires social media giants such as Google and Meta to pay for Australian news content hosted on their platforms.

   Peter Dutton, leader of the opposition Coalition and the alternative prime minister, said he agrees with Albanese's position on not negotiating on the issues raised in the new report.

   "I will stand up for our country's interests every day if I am given the great honour of being prime minister," he said.

    A poll published by Nine Entertainment newspapers on Tuesday found that 60 per cent of Australians believe Trump's second term has been a bad outcome for Australia, up from 40 per cent who said the same following the US election in November 2024.

   Forty-six per cent of respondents to the poll agreed that Australia should form closer relations with other countries in the region, in response to Trump's actions since taking office, with 19 per cent disagreeing.

  Asked about the AUKUS defense agreement, 34 per cent of respondents agreed Australia should pause or withdraw from the pact, compared to 25 per cent who disagreed and 41 per cent who were undecided or neutral.

  In a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urged current Australian politicians to stand up for the country against the US administration.

  "The United States is a friend, but my plea to Australian politicians is got off your knees and stand up for Australia," Turnbull, who served as prime minister and as leader of the Coalition between 2015 and 2018, said.

  "Trying to get into a race of who can do the most sucking up, particularly with Mr Trump, as I know from direct experience, is not the way to advance your interests or your nation's interests," the former prime minister said.

  Albanese and Dutton confirmed on Tuesday that their first debate of the election campaign will be held in western Sydney on April 8.  

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA