Shadow defence spokesperson James Paterson says U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of Australia’s lack of involvement in securing the Strait of Hormuz was “not a good state of affairs.”
The latest statement from Trump contrasts with Labor minister remarks that there was never a U.S. request for assistance.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key global shipping route through the Middle East that accounts for 20 percent of the world’s oil traffic.
Since the start of the Iran War in February, shipping has been disrupted with the Iranian regime targeting vessels and laying mines in the water to shut down commercial traffic—a move aimed at disrupting global fuel supply and to create pressure on the United States and Israel to back down from its military strikes.
In his latest remarks, U.S. President Trump—who has been heavily critical of NATO allies for their lack of involvement—says he tried to ask Australia for help on numerous occasions.
Trump had repeatedly mentioned Australia in a list of countries he has accused of not joining U.S.-efforts to secure safe commercial passage through the Strait.
In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed earlier comments saying the United States made no formal request to Australia.
“I refer to my previous answers day after day after day when I’ve been asked ... there have been no new requests at all,” he told reporters on April 17.
When asked on why Trump continued to mention Australia, Albanese redirected the issue to the U.S. president himself.
“That’s a question for President Trump. What my job is, is to engage constructively with the U.S. administration. That’s what we do,” he said.
“The answer is the same. I’ve seen the footage and the way that the question was asked. Australia’s position is the same today as it was yesterday, the same as it was the day before.”
Opposition Says Situation Not Good
The Australian opposition has called for clarity around the situation.Senator Paterson said it was “not a good state of affairs” for Australia’s most important ally to express frustration at its response “four or five times.”
“This is an important relationship that needs to be managed and it is very unfortunate that we have this contradiction between what the Australian government is saying and what the U.S. government is saying,” he told ABC Radio National.
“The Australian government asserts that there have been no requests to Australia and I take them at their word, but President Trump has now repeatedly said there have been requests and so my question is, what has the prime minister done to clarify this with President Trump? What has he done to clear this up? When is the last time he spoke to President Trump about this?”
The shadow spokesman was cautious about Australia entering the war, and was open to helping manage the Strait of Hormuz after the war ends.
