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Writer's pictureCori Rushdi
Nov 143 min read

A World Away: The Uncertainty of Australia’s Future Post-U.S. Election

15,000 kilometres is almost half the distance it would take to walk around the entire Earth. 15,000 kilometres is also roughly the distance between Australia and the United States. Despite being almost a world away from each other, it’s interesting how decisions made in Washington D.C. are powerful enough to ripple across the entire Pacific, bringing with it repercussions which affect a nation sitting far, far away.


The U.S. election holds significant weight over the political sphere we’ve come to know as our world. It’s therefore no surprise that the outcome of this election bears great consequences onto the Australian population, despite it taking place kilometres away from us. 


Indeed, the future of both the Australian market and the Australian dollar remains uncertain, as the world is forced to wait and see whether Trump will truly execute his promises of hefty tariffs and deportation. Pledging to “completely eliminate dependence on China in all critical areas”, Trump’s 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods would pose implications for Australia's trade relations. Our reliance on resource and energy exports to China may come under threat if Trump’s anti-China tariffs are actioned––and no requirement for congressional approval means that these proposals could quite plausibly be enforced early in his term. 


Consequently, if trade relations between Australia and China are impacted, weaker demand for Australian currency may bring down its value, increasing both the price of imports and forecasted inflation. 


In line with yet another one of Trump’s promises––that is, to deport illegal immigrants––economist Saul Eslakes comments that the prospect of expelling between 1.3 million to 8 million workers as discussed will further “add to inflation and disrupt … global supply chains, adding to global inflammatory pressures” within Australia and beyond. In this way, the outcome of the election and its following repercussions leaves most Australians holding their breath, awaiting what is to come. 


Amidst all this, It’s also worth considering what the outcome of the U.S. election means for women in Australia, and all over the world. Note that this is the first election held in the U.S. since 2022, when the Supreme Court had ruled to overturn the decision made by Roe v. Wade, subsequently denying the constitutional right to abortion. 


US Policy may have little direct impact on Australian legislation, but its effects on public sentiment are undeniable. United States’ Studies Centre research associate Ava Kalinauskas highlights that “while abortion bans in the US might not affect Australian women directly, our polling finds that attitudes towards the US are more negative among Australian women compared to Australian men.” Trump, who took pride in his role of appointing the Supreme Court justices responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade, has most recently shifted his perspective on abortion as a matter which should be left in the hands of the states. 


U.S. ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy says that if Kamala Harris were to have won the election, “it [would] have [had] a huge impact on young women.” She elaborates further: “Seeing a woman as Commander in Chief and leader of the free world would undoubtedly inspire millions of young girls to dream big dreams.” Nevertheless, this is the second presidential election to which the opportunity for such widespread empowerment has slipped right by us. 


These recurrences may then prompt us to reflect on the extent to which gender biases are entrenched within our political structures. As we recognise the influence that the U.S. holds not only over Australia, but upon the globe entirely, it seems necessary to wonder: is this an issue with candidacy, or does the problem lie within the institutions and belief systems which govern our democratic processes as a whole? Now, more than ever, it is crucial to ask ourselves these questions. 


 

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