20:55

Malcolm Turnbull has sought to allay fears about Donald Trump winning the US presidency by saying the Australia-US alliance would remain strong regardless of who was president although Australians may observe US elections with consternation at times.

Malcolm Turnbull speaks during the House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Speaking on Triple M, the Australian prime minister said there was truth in the proposition Trump had succeeded owing to a protest vote against traditional politicians.

“There’s a real sense of disappointment in middle America, with the very slow growth in middle incomes,” he said. “Middle America has seen very slow growth and in some cases have gone backwards in incomes.

“Income inequality is a big issue in the US … there are a lot of tensions there [and] support for Trump is clearly evidence of that.”

The possibility of a Trump presidency has caused widespread global consternation because he has advocated tariff increases against China, called theGeneva conventions a problem for the conduct of US wars, and has advocated the use of torture “a hell of a lot worse” than waterboarding and isolationism in the event of a war between North Korea and its neighbours, Japan and South Korea.

Asked about that global concern Turnbull said: “I have absolutely no doubt the Anzus alliance – the Australian-American relationship – will continue to grow and strengthen regardless of who the president is.

“Our relationship with the US is so deep, it’s based on thousands if not millions of individual relationships, it’s been built up over generations.”