This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly8xlj0485o
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Trump tariffs: How island of penguins and seals ended up on list | Trump tariffs: How island of penguins and seals ended up on list |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The remote Heard and McDonald Islands haven't been visited by humans in almost a decade | The remote Heard and McDonald Islands haven't been visited by humans in almost a decade |
| Two tiny, remote Antarctic outposts populated by penguins and seals are among the obscure places targeted by the Trump administration's new tariffs. | Two tiny, remote Antarctic outposts populated by penguins and seals are among the obscure places targeted by the Trump administration's new tariffs. |
| Heard and McDonald Islands - a territory which sits 4,000km (2,485 miles) south-west of Australia - are only accessible via a seven-day boat trip from Perth, and haven't been visited by humans in almost a decade. | Heard and McDonald Islands - a territory which sits 4,000km (2,485 miles) south-west of Australia - are only accessible via a seven-day boat trip from Perth, and haven't been visited by humans in almost a decade. |
| Australian trade minister Don Farrell told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the tariffs were "clearly a mistake". | Australian trade minister Don Farrell told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the tariffs were "clearly a mistake". |
| "Poor old penguins, I don't know what they did to Trump, but, look, I think it's an indication, to be honest with you, that this was a rushed process." | "Poor old penguins, I don't know what they did to Trump, but, look, I think it's an indication, to be honest with you, that this was a rushed process." |
| President Trump on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping import tax scheme, in retaliation for what he said are unfair trade barriers on US products. | President Trump on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping import tax scheme, in retaliation for what he said are unfair trade barriers on US products. |
| A handful of other Australian territories were also hit by the new tariffs, in addition to the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard, the Falkland Islands and The British Indian Ocean Territory. | A handful of other Australian territories were also hit by the new tariffs, in addition to the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard, the Falkland Islands and The British Indian Ocean Territory. |
| "It just shows and exemplifies the fact that nowhere on Earth is safe from this," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday. | "It just shows and exemplifies the fact that nowhere on Earth is safe from this," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday. |
| Like the rest of Australia, the Heard and McDonald Islands, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island are now subject to a tariff of 10%. A tariff of 29% was imposed on Norfolk Island, which is also an Australian territory and has a population of about 2,200 people. | |
| Heard Island, though, is barren, icy and completely uninhabited - home to Australia's largest and only active volcano, Big Ben, and mostly covered by glaciers. | Heard Island, though, is barren, icy and completely uninhabited - home to Australia's largest and only active volcano, Big Ben, and mostly covered by glaciers. |
| It is believed the last time people ventured on to Heard Island was in 2016, when a group of amateur radio enthusiasts broadcast from there with permission of the Australian government. | It is believed the last time people ventured on to Heard Island was in 2016, when a group of amateur radio enthusiasts broadcast from there with permission of the Australian government. |
| Mike Coffin, from the University of Tasmania, has made the journey to the surrounding waters seven times to conduct scientific research, and is sceptical about the existence of major exports from the island to the US. | Mike Coffin, from the University of Tasmania, has made the journey to the surrounding waters seven times to conduct scientific research, and is sceptical about the existence of major exports from the island to the US. |
| "There's nothing there," he told the BBC. | "There's nothing there," he told the BBC. |
| As far as he knows, there are only two Australian companies which catch and export Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. | As far as he knows, there are only two Australian companies which catch and export Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. |
| What is in abundance, however, is unique and spectacular nature. | What is in abundance, however, is unique and spectacular nature. |
| Thousands of penguins live in the territory | Thousands of penguins live in the territory |
| The islands are listed by Unesco World Heritage as a rare example of an ecosystem untouched by external plants, animals or human impact. | The islands are listed by Unesco World Heritage as a rare example of an ecosystem untouched by external plants, animals or human impact. |
| "It's heavily colonised by penguins and elephant seals and all kinds of sea birds," said Prof Coffin, who studies the undersea geography of the islands. | "It's heavily colonised by penguins and elephant seals and all kinds of sea birds," said Prof Coffin, who studies the undersea geography of the islands. |
| He recalls observing from afar what he thought was a beach, only the sands "turned out to be probably a few 100,000 penguins". | He recalls observing from afar what he thought was a beach, only the sands "turned out to be probably a few 100,000 penguins". |
| "Every time a ship goes there and observes it, there's lava flowing down the flanks [of Big Ben]," he said, describing it sweeping over ice and sending up steam. | "Every time a ship goes there and observes it, there's lava flowing down the flanks [of Big Ben]," he said, describing it sweeping over ice and sending up steam. |
| It is hard to get a clear picture of the trade relationship between the Heard and McDonald Islands and the US. | It is hard to get a clear picture of the trade relationship between the Heard and McDonald Islands and the US. |
| According to export data from the World Bank, the islands have, over the past few years, usually exported a small amount of products to the US. | According to export data from the World Bank, the islands have, over the past few years, usually exported a small amount of products to the US. |
| But in 2022 the US imported US$1.4m (A$2.23m; ) from the territory, nearly all of it unnamed "machinery and electrical" products. | But in 2022 the US imported US$1.4m (A$2.23m; ) from the territory, nearly all of it unnamed "machinery and electrical" products. |
| The Guardian has also reported that an analysis of US import data and shipping records suggests that tariffs imposed on the Heard and McDonalds Islands, as well as Norfolk Island, are based on incorrect data. | The Guardian has also reported that an analysis of US import data and shipping records suggests that tariffs imposed on the Heard and McDonalds Islands, as well as Norfolk Island, are based on incorrect data. |
| It found shipments had been wrongly labelled as coming from the territories, rather than their actual places of origin. | It found shipments had been wrongly labelled as coming from the territories, rather than their actual places of origin. |
| The US Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment. | The US Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment. |
| As with many governments around the world, the tariffs have frustrated Australia's leaders, with Albanese saying they are "totally unwarranted" and "not the act of a friend." | As with many governments around the world, the tariffs have frustrated Australia's leaders, with Albanese saying they are "totally unwarranted" and "not the act of a friend." |