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The government’s budget warned that the escalation of trade tensions had “significantly magnified volatility” in global markets and could disrupt global and domestic trade, pushing up prices. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also alluded to Trump’s presence during a press conference on Friday, during which he on 3 May.
We live in the greatest country on Earth, and we do not need to copy from any other nation to make Australia even better and stronger.
Zareh Ghazarian, a political scientist from Monash University, said: “The presence of Donald Trump transcends boundaries.”
He’s a figure of such interest in politics and international relations that I can’t imagine a liberal democracy or a country in which he’s not talked about.
While Trump’s threatened tariffs on Australia are not expected to have as big an impact on Australia’s election, there are still traces of the ‘Trump effect’.
Trump is setting the political agenda
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on auto tariffs at the White House on 26 March. Source: AAP / Francis Chung/POLITICO/Sipa USA
“We are sitting tight to see if China retaliates in any way and how that would affect our local industries [in Australia], and in turn, potentially affect the election,” Sheppard said.
The other Trump influence could stem from Trump’s willingness to attack his country’s own institutions. While Sheppard said this is not historically a common political tactic in Australia, we could see that begin to shift.
We’re used to seeing very traditionalist politicians [in Australia] — whether they’re right wing or left wing — who support the institutions.
She said it’s also important to understand that Dutton’s background as a long-time parliamentarian makes him a “man of the institution” — in contrast to Trump.
“In terms of setting the political agenda, Trump is having a massive impact.”
Embracing Trump’s tactics could be ‘politically dangerous’
“[They] are potentially being picked up by those who have similar sorts of feelings in Australia.”
He said Australian leaders have to connect with and address a wide range of issues affecting voters across capital cities, rural regional areas and in different states.
Thanks to compulsory voting … the task for the [Australian] leader is to appeal to a really wide range [of voters] and not to speak to a very specific group of voters.
Polling done by think tank The Australia Institute of 2,009 people in February found 51 per cent of Australians think Trump’s election was a bad thing for the world, only 25 per cent think it was a good thing.
Peter Dutton sounds very ‘Trumpian’
The group says on its fundraising page that Dutton had already threatened to abandon the Paris Agreement and that Coalition “extremists” were pushing to undermine Australia’s commitment to reproductive rights.
A Climate 200 ad showing a composite image of Peter Dutton and Donald Trump’s faces. Source: Supplied / Charis Chang
said in January Australia should “lean into” the gender debate after Trump signed an executive order, but when asked about the issue, Dutton said he had no plans to change Australia’s position.
“Peter Dutton’s relentless Trumpist negativity is only enhancing the attractiveness of community independents and driving voters away from the major parties,” a spokesperson told SBS News.
Sheppard said anything controversial that Dutton does is likely to be viewed as something Trump would do, although it may not always be a fair comparison.
When I look at Dutton, I see a fairly long tradition of conservative leaders in Australia.
“Australia needs Trump-like policies, which only Trumpet of Patriots can deliver,” Palmer says in a statement on his website.
Dr Jill Sheppard, an expert in politics and international relations at the Australian National University, says comparisons with Donald Trump may harm Peter Dutton slightly, though it likely won’t affect many Liberal voters. Source: AAP / Jono Searle
