Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to reveal whether he will bring a symbolic offering to his long-awaited one-on-one meeting with US President Donald Trump next month but confirmed that negotiations over access to Australia’s critical minerals are on the horizon.
The government has already signalled plans to expand mining and processing of critical minerals, hoping the resources could be used to secure exemptions from US trade tariffs. On Sunday, however, Mr Albanese declined to detail what Australia’s offer might include or whether it would be exclusive to Washington, following earlier talks with his British counterpart.
Other leaders have arrived at the White House with notable gestures. Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for instance, carried an invitation from the king for a state visit.
“We will have those negotiations with President Trump in person,” Mr Albanese said. “Australia has everything that is in demand, almost the entire periodic table. Whether you are looking at lithium, cobalt, copper or vanadium, we have great resources.”
He suggested critical minerals could form part of the AUKUS security pact with the US and UK, given their role in building defence equipment. But he stressed that Australia’s priority was to capture more value at home. “We don’t want to just dig things up, export them, and then import them back at higher prices. What we are talking about is maximising the return to Australia.”
After a lunch with King Charles at Balmoral Castle, Mr Albanese also ruled out holding a referendum on Australia becoming a republic during his time in office.
The prime minister is scheduled to meet Mr Trump formally on October 20, after a previous attempt at the G20 summit collapsed when the president left early amid conflict in the Middle East. The two leaders briefly crossed paths in New York last week, sharing a smiling selfie at a world leaders’ function.
Mr Albanese said he would not pre-empt the agenda of the Washington talks. “I need to treat him with the respect that the president of the United States deserves, and I expect that to be returned. We have had five conversations or greetings in person now, and they have all been warm, constructive, positive and optimistic.”
He declined to comment on Mr Trump’s fiery United Nations address, in which the president urged European nations to crack down on migration. “It’s not my job to critique other leaders. My job is to govern in Australia’s national interest. People want borders to be controlled, and that is how you build support for migration as well.”
The opposition has accused Mr Albanese of failing to secure an earlier meeting with Mr Trump and of missing opportunities to negotiate tariff exemptions. Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Michaelia Cash said the relationship with Washington was not strong enough.
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