Australian PM says he trusts Trump on defence ties

Sydney: Australia's prime minister said Sunday he trusts US President Donald Trump to support the two countries' defence relationship despite their "different values" on trade, in a final television debate before May 3 elections.

The high cost of living is the biggest concern of voters, according to opinion polls, but the US imposition of 10-percent trade tariffs on long-time ally Australia has elbowed its way into a tight election battle.

Asked if he trusted Trump to have Australia's back on security, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "Yes."

The Australian leader, whose centre-left Labor Party has a narrow lead in the polls over the conservative opposition, said US lawmakers he met had expressed "universal" support for their defence ties.

"I think that gives us confidence is that it's in the United States' interests as well as in Australia's interest," he said.

But Albanese said he and Trump had "different views, different values".

"I support free and fair trade, he doesn't. He thinks tariffs are the way forward for the United States."

In 2021, Australia signed a US$235 billion agreement with the United States and Britain that would equip the Australian navy with US nuclear-powered submarines and help balance China's expanding military might.

The government and conservative opposition both support the deal.

Peter Dutton, leader of a Liberal-National Party coalition, said Australia could trust whoever is in the Oval Office.

"We respect the views of the American people. They've elected a president."

The ruling Labor Party has a 52-48 percent lead over the opposition on a two-party preferred basis, according to a Newspoll survey published Sunday in The Australian newspaper.

It is the latest in a series of polls indicating the opposition has lost a slight lead it had enjoyed in February.