Strong anti-dumping measures announced by the Federal Government today will support Australian jobs, the ACTU said today.
ACTU secretary Dave Oliver said that dumping of imports at below cost to wipe out local competitors was an unfair tactic that cost jobs and hurt consumers.
“Dumping is an unfair distortion of prices which makes it even more difficult for Australian companies, especially in our manufacturing sector, to compete fairly,” Mr Oliver said.
“Once local competitors close down, importers are able to raise their prices to make bigger profits in the Australian market.
“Australian manufacturers have struggled through the Global Financial Crisis and the high Australian dollar. They should not have to battle overseas companies using unfair tactics to drive them out of business.”
The announcement addresses one of the recommendations of the Prime Minister’s Manufacturing Taskforce.
The new measures will establish a new Anti-Dumping Commission to investigate complaints, boost funding to Customs, make the system easier for small and medium businesses and introduce stricter penalties for overseas companies who dump goods onto the Australian market.
“There is a strong future for Australian to be a country with a high-value manufacturing sector that generates jobs and wealth,” Mr Oliver said.
“However we need the Federal Government to continue its support for the sector, including investment in the car industry, infrastructure funding and continuing to stop unfairly cheap imports being dumped on the Australian market.”
