Foreign Minister Penny Wong has spent the morning dodging uncomfortable questions about US President Donald Trump’s statement that the US government will now only recognize “two genders”.
Ms Wong, along with Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, attended Trump’s inauguration in Washington DC in the early hours of Tuesday, when the new US president said only “men and women” they would be officially recognized under his administration.
Appearing on Seven’s Sunrise on Tuesday, interviewer Natalie Barr asked Wong what she had learned from Trump’s announcement about gender.
“One of the interesting things he also said: ‘That from this day on there will be two genders in America, male and female’ – what did you think of that?” Barr asked Wong.
“There will be many things – domestic politics – that, as foreign minister, I am not going to comment on,” Ms Wong said.
‘There will be a lot of changes in this administration, I’m certainly not going to make running comments.
“What I would say is that my job, on your behalf, and the job of the government, is to defend Australia’s interests, our economic interests, our national security interests, and we will do that.”
Ms Wong was asked an almost identical question and gave a similar answer on Tuesday morning’s ABC Radio National breakfast show.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong (pictured) declined to comment on US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize two genders.
However, ABC interviewer Sally Sara put more pressure on Ms Wong.
‘If President Trump is talking about rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion programs and recognizing only two sexes, male and female, what will that mean for members and representatives of the Australian Government and public servants who will work directly with the administration ? Will you seek guarantees about your treatment?
“You are working very hard to ask me to comment on a domestic policy announcement the president made just a few hours ago,” Ms. Wong responded.
And like I told you, I have no intention of doing that. I’ve got a job to do here in Washington and that’s to defend Australia’s interests – our security interests and our economic interests – and that’s what I intend to do.’
Wong was also cautious when asked about Rudd’s relations with Trump following a history of acrimony between the two.
Ms Wong confronted Sunrise shortly after Trump’s inauguration (pictured, hosts Matt Shirvington and Natalie Barr)
Sunrise host Matt Shirvington asked Ms Wong if she thought the two men had repaired their relationship, and if she would meet with management this week.
Ms Wong only responded to the second question, listing a number of officials she would speak to, including the Treasury Secretary and the incoming Secretary of State.
“This has been a really good opportunity on behalf of the country to collaborate with key people in the new administration with whom we want to have a very strong and open relationship,” he said.
Dr. Rudd previously called Trump a “traitor to the West,” a “village idiot” and “the most destructive president in history.”
In response, Trump said Rudd was “disgusting” and would not last long in office once he returned to the White House.
Earlier, Ms Wong revealed that Dr Rudd had been speaking to Mr Trump ahead of the inauguration.
Trump (pictured) was sworn in for his second term as US president on Monday local time.
“I understand that Mr. Rudd, Ambassador Rudd, had the opportunity to speak with the then president-elect and it was his honor to attend the inauguration with me today and also attend the various events associated with the inauguration,” said Mrs. Wong.
“It’s really a pretty extraordinary event and I want to again express my congratulations to President Trump and his team.”
‘This is a great day for them, but it is also a great day for the country and for the world. The change of American president is obviously a moment of real importance here and around the world.’
Wong was also cautious about Trump’s proposed taxes and tariffs on imports to the United States and how that would affect Australia.
“President Trump has made it clear that his agenda would be to put America first, so this is not a new position, it is not a surprising position,” he said.
‘When it comes to economic relations between Australia and the United States, in terms of trade, the United States has had a surplus with Australia since President Truman (mid-20th century).
‘Even of Australia’s exports that go to the United States, about half go into American supply chains.
“In terms of adding value to the US economy, Australia certainly does that and that will be my message on behalf of Australia to the Secretary of State and we will continue to express this view that the economic relationship is in favor of the United States.”
During Trump’s speech, he said his administration would end the attempt to ““Socially incorporate race and gender into all aspects of public and private life.”
“We will forge a color-blind, merit-based society,” he said.
“As of today, the official policy of the United States government will be that there are only two genders: male and female.”