Trump’s Trade Policies Revisited: A South Australian Lens on Tariffs, Trade, and Geoeconomics
Date
From: Wednesday September 10, 2025, 5:00 pm
To: Wednesday September 10, 2025, 7:00 pm
INVITATION: Trump’s Trade Policies Revisited: A South Australian Lens on Tariffs, Trade, and Geoeconomics
On 31 July 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating his administration’s “reciprocal” tariff regime—marking a major escalation in global trade tensions. Under the updated policy, countries that run goods trade deficits with the U.S. and have security relationships with it—including Australia—now face a baseline 10% tariff on most exports to the U.S., with other countries facing tariffs as high as 50%.
This move signals not only a sharp break from multilateral trade norms, but a return to transactional, bilateral pressure tactics. But what do these shifts mean for Australia—and, in particular, for South Australian exporters and industries deeply embedded in global value chains?
This timely panel discussion, hosted by the Economic Society of Australia (SA Branch), Institute for International Trade, and the Australian Institute of International Affairs (SA Branch), brings together leading voices in trade policy, economics, and international affairs to unpack these developments through a South Australian lens.
The session will begin with a high-level analytical update on the logic and scope of the new U.S. tariff regime, followed by a focused discussion on how these shifts are likely to affect South Australian industries, exporters, and policymakers. A moderated panel discussion will then explore the broader geoeconomic and strategic implications, including the erosion of the rules-based trading system and Australia’s potential policy responses.
Event details
Date: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Time: 5:00 pm-7.00 pm.
- 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm: Light refreshments and networking
- 5:45 pm – 7:00 pm: Panel discussion
Venue: Flinders University City Campus, Adelaide CBD
Room 507 of the Festival Tower, Station Rd, Adelaide
Cost: Free to register.
If you can no longer attend after registering, please email us to cancel. This will allow us to ensure our limited capacity is met on the day.
This event is part of Social Sciences Week Australia (8–16 September 2025), a national celebration of how the social sciences help us understand our world and shape a better future.
We thank Flinders University for their support of this event.
About the Speakers
Panel speakers:
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Prof. Peter Draper, Executive Director, Institute for International Trade in the School of Economics and Public Policy, University of Adelaide Peter is Professor, and Executive Director of the Institute for International Trade in the School of Economics and Public Policy, The University of Adelaide, Australia. He also directs the Jean Monnet Centre on Trade and Environment. He is a board member of the Australian Services Roundtable; a Director of the Board of Trustees of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Research Foundation; non-resident senior fellow of the Brussels-based European Centre for International Political Economy; and Associated Researcher at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability. |
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Dr Jacky Southcott, Senior Economist with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission. Jacky is an economist with a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Adelaide, where her pioneering research on the economics of trust garnered recognition with a Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence. With a career spanning over two decades, Jacky has extensive experience working across government and academic institutions, both in Australia and overseas. Her expertise lies in conducting economic impact evaluations, applied economic research, and providing advice to Senior Government Officials. She is also the Chair of the Women in Economics Network South Australia Branch, where she actively supports efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the economics profession. |
Panel Chair:
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Dr Michael Sullivan is an Adjunct Lecturer in the College of Business, Government and Law (BGL) at Flinders University, where he brings a wealth of expertise in international relations, government, and business to his teaching and research. As Vice-president of the South Australian Branch of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), he plays a pivotal role in fostering dialogue and understanding on global issues within the academic and broader community. With a career marked by commitment to advancing understanding in global affairs and connecting academic and professional communities, Michael Sullivan is regarded as a leading authority in international relations in South Australia |
Event Organizer & Host (MC):
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Associate Professor Duygu Yengin, School of Economics and Public Policy, University of Adelaide. Assoc. Prof. Duygu Yengin is the President of the Economic Society of Australia (SA Branch) and co-founder and Deputy Chair of Women in Economics Network. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 2007. She is an economist focused on fairness and power imbalances, developing models and solutions for issues such as housing markets, compulsory acquisitions, Indigenous economic justice, native title, renewable energy transition, women in trade, and gender equity. She advocates for women in economics and equitable policies for all, regularly contributing to public engagement via The Conversation, ABC, VoxEU, The Advertiser, and public talks. https://theconversation.com/profiles/duygu-yengin-485542/articles |
Bookings are now closed
Venue
Flinders University City Campus, Adelaide CBD
Room 507 of the Festival Tower, Station Rd, Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5000