Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor and Member for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus today visited Viridian Glass, Australia's only manufacturer of clear float glass, to discuss how the Gillard Government's improvements to Australia's anti-dumping system will help support local businesses.
Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor and Member for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus today visited Viridian Glass, Australia's only manufacturer of clear float glass, to discuss how the Gillard Government's improvements to Australia's anti-dumping system will help support local businesses.
Dumping occurs where a company exports its goods to Australia at a price below the price it charges in its home market or below the cost of production. While the Australian economy is strong, some industries are vulnerable to dumping.
The Gillard Government this month imposed dumping duties on clear float glass from exporters in China, Indonesia and Thailand after Customs and Border Protection found that the dumped exports were causing material injury to the Australian industry.
"Australia's anti-dumping and countervailing system is an important part of our trade environment and helps to support local industry and jobs," Mr O'Connor said.
"The Gillard Government will take action against injurious dumping which has the potential to hurt local manufacturers and the Australian economy more widely."
Legislation passed federal Parliament earlier this month which puts in action the first of 29 improvements aimed at providing better support to industries and workers by creating a modern, rigorous and better resourced anti-dumping system.
"These changes will help to bring greater certainty to manufacturers and primary producers, and their workers, families and communities," Mr Dreyfus said.
"Our reforms will help keep the economy strong and support local manufacturers and primary producers to remedy the harmful effects of unfair trading practices like dumping and the subsidisation of goods by other countries."
The new laws expressly give all relevant parties with an interest in anti-dumping matters an opportunity to participate during an anti-dumping investigation.
They also improve the decision-making process by clarifying factors that may indicate material injury to an Australian industry; impose a 30 day time limit on the Minister's consideration of an investigation; and allow Australian businesses to take action against the full range of subsidies in accordance with WTO agreements.
