1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Already and this is the Daily Art. This is the 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: Daily OS. Oh, now it makes sense. 3 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Wednesday, 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: the twenty second of October. I'm Emma Gillespie. 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: I'm Lucy Tassel. 6 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 2: After months of delays, Prime Minister Anthony Alberanezi has met 7 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 2: with the US President Donald Trump at the White House 8 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: this week. There was plenty to talk about during the 9 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 2: pair's first formal meeting since Trump's reelection last year, with 10 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 2: a major deal on critical minerals, progress on ORCUS, and 11 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 2: a tense moment between the US President and former PM 12 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 2: Kevin Rudd. Today we are going to break down what happened, 13 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 2: why it matters, and what comes next. 14 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: Emma, the Prime Minister, as you said, is in Washington, DC, 15 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: the US capital, this week for a meeting with Donald Trump. 16 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: That to me feels like it has been a very 17 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: long time coming. 18 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, you are absolutely right, Lucy. Trump was re elected 19 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 2: in November last year, which means it's been nearly a 20 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 2: year since his re election, which is crazy to think about. 21 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 2: But in that time so much has happened, including Albanzi 22 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 2: winning re election in May in that landslide result for labor, 23 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: Trump's tariffs, which continue to create a lot of uncertainty 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 2: around the world, and global conflicts which have intensified and 25 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 2: evolved and continue to do so. Albanizi and Trump have 26 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: spoken on the phone several times in that last kind 27 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 2: of nearly a year. They did have a brief meeting 28 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 2: on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month, 29 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 2: but this was their first formal sit down meeting at 30 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 2: the White House. 31 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: Over the course of that almost a year, several planned 32 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: meetings fell through ahead of those talks this week. Can 33 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: you walk me through what happened each time that kind 34 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: of almost happened and then didn't. 35 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 2: There were multiple failed attempts to make this happen. As 36 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 2: you rightly mentioned, Lucy, there was a meeting that was 37 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: planned during the G seven summit in Canada earlier this 38 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: year that was canceled because of escalating violence between Israel 39 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,959 Speaker 2: and Iran, so Donald Trump left those talks early. Then 40 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: in September, when Albanezi was at the UN in New York, 41 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: he was expected to be included on Trump's schedule of 42 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 2: bilateral meetings, but that did not come to fruition. Despite 43 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: Trump meeting with other world leaders at that time, and 44 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,519 Speaker 2: these delays had a bit of a political fallout here 45 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 2: in Australia. There was some controversy over recent months, with 46 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 2: many of the Prime Minister's political opponents questioning why this 47 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 2: was taking so long, especially given the relationship between Australia 48 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: and the US. You know, we're talking about one of 49 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: our oldest and closest allies. We fought alongside them in 50 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: every major conflict for over a century, and this is 51 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 2: a relationship that's considered incredibly important for a raft of reasons, 52 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: you know, including from an economic, security, diplomacy and trade standpoint. 53 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: So what changed, Why did we finally kind of make 54 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: this happen. 55 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 2: Well, both leaders over the course of all these kind 56 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 2: of cancelations and delays had downplayed there being any political 57 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 2: reason stopping this meeting from happening, basically that it was 58 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 2: a scheduling issue. But there have been several pressing issues 59 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 2: that have emerged in recent months really requiring or intensifying 60 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 2: the need for this face to face discussion. And that's 61 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: you know, trade tariffs, the Orchest submarine deal, and China's 62 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 2: recent moves to titan restrictions on critical minerals. 63 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: I want to talk about those specific issues. Maybe let's 64 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: go through them one by one, starting with critical minerals. 65 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: So this meeting resulted in the signing of a really 66 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: significant Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Agreement. It's kind of 67 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 2: being hailed as the headline achievement, I guess by labor 68 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: of Albanesi's US visit. The Prime Minister described it as 69 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 2: quote a landmark bilateral framework that we'll see an accelerated 70 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 2: pipeline of priority projects delivered by and for the two nations. 71 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 2: That includes thirteen billion dollars of ready to go projects, 72 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 2: in Albanzi's words, to expand Australia's mining and processing abilities. 73 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: Before we go any further, can you explain a little 74 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: bit more about what's a critical mineral, what's a rare 75 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: earth element. 76 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: This is one of those kind of news topics or 77 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 2: political issues I think often assumes a lot of knowledge, 78 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 2: but plenty of people out there probably don't know what 79 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: we're actually talking about here. 80 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: So some people perhaps in this room who might need 81 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: a little bit of a refresh. 82 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 2: I'm not too broad to admit that I did not 83 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 2: know a whole lot about this before this year. But 84 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: the term critical minerals refers to materials that are deemed 85 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 2: essential for modern technology and manufacturing, so for example, lithium, cobalt, titanium, nickel, 86 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 2: those sorts of things and the materials needed to make 87 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 2: a lot of the products and items that we rely 88 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 2: on in our everyday lives, so electron smartphones, batteries, electric vehicles, 89 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 2: clean energy techs so solar panels, as well as defense technologies. 90 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: They're called critical because they're considered crucial for economic and 91 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 2: national security, but they're prone to supply chain disruption and 92 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 2: can be difficult to obtain, so that's critical minerals. Rare 93 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 2: earth elements are a specific subset of critical minerals, so 94 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 2: think of them as kind of being beneath that critical 95 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: mineral umbrella. Despite the name, though they're actually not that 96 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 2: rare in terms of their presence in the Earth's crust. 97 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 2: The problem is that rare earth elements are in high 98 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 2: demand and they're very difficult and very expensive to extract 99 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: and process. China, really important point here, currently dominates the 100 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 2: rare earth minerals market. It controls about seventy percent of 101 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 2: the mining and ninety percent of the processing of rare 102 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 2: earth elements globally, and as we know US and China 103 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: tensions have really escalated over the past several months as 104 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 2: part of this kind of ongoing trade war. So China 105 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 2: recently tightened export controls on these materials that were seen 106 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 2: as a strategic move in this kind of escalating trade 107 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 2: tension tariff war that is ongoing. 108 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: So how does Australia fit into this picture. 109 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 2: Well, in the government's own words, Australia is quote richly 110 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: endowed with mineral resources. We are a major exporter of 111 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 2: these raw materials, but according to a recent government policy paper, 112 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 2: Australia currently lacks quote a well developed value adding capability 113 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: for critical minerals and their products, but is looking to 114 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 2: increase this capability. 115 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: We'll be back with more of today's deep dive right 116 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: after this. So Australia has these minerals that the US needs, 117 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: but it also needs the money to export them to 118 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: the US exactly. 119 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 2: So this deal is kind of being spooked by both 120 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 2: countries as one that includes commitments to really benefit both sides. 121 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 2: Has the goods, we need help to export them and 122 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 2: America needs to import them for its manufacturing and products, 123 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: and it's finding it increasingly difficult to do that business 124 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 2: with China. 125 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: What's Trump said about all of this. 126 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 2: He's been pretty enthusiastic about this agreement, it should be said, 127 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 2: you know. He noted that it had been in the 128 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 2: works for about four or five months, and negotiations wrapped 129 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 2: just in time for Albanesi's visit. Trump told reporters this week, quote, 130 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 2: in about a year from now, we'll have so much critical, 131 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 2: mineral and rare earths that you won't know what to 132 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 2: do with them. 133 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: You've also mentioned ORCUS. Just going through our little bulletpointed list. 134 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: What's the latest there, Yeah, this was a major topic 135 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 2: of discussion as well. Quick refresher. ORCUS is that security 136 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 2: partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, 137 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 2: and under the partnership, Australia is set to acquire at 138 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 2: least three nuclear powered submarines from the US in what's 139 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 2: considered a massive, massive deal with about two hundred and 140 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 2: forty billion dollars. But Aucus has kind of been under 141 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: a shadow of doubt over recent months. After Trump returned 142 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:10,559 Speaker 2: to the White House, his administration launched a review of ORCUS. 143 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 2: We weren't sure if that meant that the US was 144 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 2: wavering on this deal, but it seems that that has 145 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 2: all been cleared up. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said after 146 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 2: the meeting between Trump and Albanzi that Trump has provided 147 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: assurances on ORCUS, and she called the meeting a great success. 148 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: We've heard so much about how Trump's tariffs might impact 149 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: Australian exporters. Did the leaders discuss trade at their meeting? 150 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, it would almost have been impossible for trade not 151 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,479 Speaker 2: to come up. So Australia currently is facing a baseline 152 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 2: ten percent tariff on most goods that it exports to 153 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 2: the US, but Ozzie steel an aluminium face a heftier 154 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 2: fifty percent tariff, pharmaceuticals face a one hundred percent levy. 155 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 2: This has been a really big sticking point for the 156 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 2: coalition in terms of getting Albanezi face to face with Trump. 157 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 2: When asked whether the US would lift tariffs on Australia, 158 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: Trump defended his trade policies. He said that quote, Australia 159 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 2: pays among the lowest tariffs of any country, so there 160 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 2: wasn't huge progress or development on tariffs. The government is 161 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 2: expected to continue working for relief, but this won't be 162 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 2: the last time we hear about it. 163 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: We can't wrap this up without talking about a fairly 164 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: awkward moment between Trump and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. 165 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: Can you explain what happened there? 166 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 2: As Australia's ambassador to the United States, former Prime Minister 167 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 2: Kevin Rudd attended a meeting as part of these talks, 168 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 2: so he was in the room with Albanzi, Trump, some 169 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 2: other officials, and also a press pack of journalists. And 170 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 2: it was during questions by those reporters that one Ossie 171 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 2: journo asked Trump specifically if he had any concerns about Rudd. 172 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 2: And here is what happened. Have you had any concerns 173 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 2: with this administration with stance on Palestine, on climate change, 174 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 2: or even thinks the ambassador said about you in the past. 175 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: He's trying to investment. 176 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: I don't know anything about him. And if you said 177 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: bad then maybe he'll like to apologize. I really don't know. 178 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: Did an ambassador to say something bad about it? Don't 179 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: tell me. I don't whereas he is he still working 180 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: for you? Yeah, you said bad. 181 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 2: Before I took this positions to prison. 182 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: I don't like you either, and it probably never will. 183 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: Some important context here is that Rudd was a vocal 184 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 2: critic of Trump before he took on the role of ambassador. 185 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 2: So you know, for example, he's called Trump the most 186 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 2: destructive president in history, a traded to the West, a 187 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 2: village idiot. That was all prior to him accepting the job. 188 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 2: But Trump has also previously said that Rudd is nasty 189 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 2: quote not the brightest bulb. There is history there. But 190 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 2: I think it's also really important to note that. You know, 191 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 2: while that was the big viral moment of the meeting, 192 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 2: apparently after that exchange, reporters who were present said that 193 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 2: Rudd apologized to Trump. Trump said something in the nature 194 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 2: of all is forgiven and they shook hands and kind 195 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 2: of brushed it off. 196 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: Okay, how has the Coalition responded to everything? 197 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,559 Speaker 2: Well, Opposition leader Susan Lee has been quite vocal about 198 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 2: the Rudd situation. Specifically, she told Sky News that Rudd's 199 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: position as ambassador is now untenable after he was so 200 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 2: publicly chastised and rebuked by the US President. Lee also 201 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 2: said that it was a failure on Rudd's part that 202 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 2: it took so long for this meeting to happen, almost 203 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 2: a year to secure those conversations, so she is continuing 204 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 2: to question his position as Ambassador, but on the meeting 205 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 2: more broadly, Lee called it a good start. She said 206 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 2: the coalition welcomed the Rare Earth's Minerals deal and added 207 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 2: there was much more work to be done on the 208 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 2: whole though, Lucy, it does kind of seem like Albanezey's 209 00:11:56,040 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 2: visit has been broadly judged as a successful one, you know, 210 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 2: with a couple of hiccups and an awkward viral moment. 211 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for breaking that down, Emma. That is 212 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: all for today's deep dive. We'll be back this afternoon 213 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: with the headlines. Until then, have a great day. My 214 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda Bungelung 215 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: Calcuttin woman from Gadigol Country. The Daily oz acknowledges that 216 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 1: this podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadighl 217 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait 218 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: Island and nations. We pay our respects to the first 219 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: peoples of these countries, both past and present.