US Pharmaceuticals urge President Trump to clamp down on Australian subsidies

ABC NEWS (Australia)

American drug manufacturers are urging Donald Trump to punish Australia for a decades-old scheme that subsidises medicines. The intervention has the Albanese government bracing for another round of trade tariffs. Just as it puts the finishing touches on its budget.

Transcript

00:00This leader does hold a hose. Peter Dutton attempting to wash away some coalition confusion.

00:09I want to keep our country safe and secure.

00:11Yesterday the opposition leader was making the case for a referendum

00:15to give the government absolute power to deport criminals who are dual citizens

00:20during a mixed response from colleagues.

00:23This is not our policy.

00:25Frontbenchers appeared to play down the plan.

00:27We said we'd consider all options. We've been absolutely clear on that.

00:31While a Liberal candidate suggested it wasn't a hot topic in Tasmania.

00:36Nobody's talking about this here.

00:38Today, Mr Dutton clarified.

00:40We can tighten the laws. We do that.

00:42As a last resort, if there's a change to the constitution required, we can have that discussion.

00:47He's three years in as opposition leader.

00:50He has not put forward a single policy that will make a difference to cost of living for Australians.

00:57As the opposition constantly reminds voters,

00:59the government's election promise of a $275 cut to power bills remains unfulfilled.

01:06But it is likely to give another round of taxpayer funded relief in next week's budget.

01:12We have a budget next Tuesday.

01:14We'll always look towards what we can do in cost of living measures.

01:19Underscoring the difficulty of preparing a budget in the current climate,

01:23the government's bracing for the possibility of further trade sanctions.

01:27This time on Australian beef and medicines.

01:30American drug makers have written to the Trump administration

01:34complaining about Australia's pharmaceutical benefit scheme

01:37and urging the president to target Australia

01:40when he imposes sweeping global tariffs next month.

01:45The PBS is a decades old scheme that subsidises the cost of prescription medicines.

01:50But according to the US pharmaceutical industry,

01:52it's an egregious and discriminatory trade barrier

01:55whose damaging pricing policies are hurting American exporters.

01:59The PBS is off limits, but there are fears Australian medical exports could be in the firing line.

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