MADELEINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR TRADE
MEMBER FOR BRAND

ED HUSIC MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE AND RESOURCES
MEMBER FOR CHIFLEY

Labor supports the Morrison Government’s decision to refer China to the World Trade Organisation over its decision in May to impose an 80.5 per cent tariff on Australia barley.
 
The WTO is the appropriate forum for trade remedy actions.
 
As an open trading nation, Australia has been a beneficiary of the multilateral rules-based trading system that has operated for decades.
 
There is no evidence that Australian barley farmers have been dumping into the Chinese market.
 
While Labor supports the Government’s decision to take the case to the WTO, this is likely to take years to be resolved and further action is needed to support our exporters.
 
Billions of dollars in trade and thousands of Australian jobs are at risk from these trade tensions.
 
Labor again calls on the Government to come up with a genuine plan to make trade diversification a national priority.
 
Under this Government, Australia’s economic relationships with some of our most important neighbours, including India and Indonesia, have gone backwards.
 
These relationships must be nurtured through years of hard work, relationship building and resources on the ground.
 
The Government’s set-and-forget attitude to free trade agreements is not good enough.
 
Labor again calls on Government to immediately appoint a dedicated Minister for Trade to work on resolving this trade crisis.
 
Scott Morrison has known for almost six months that a Cabinet reshuffle is required, yet we’re still waiting to find out who will replace Simon Birmingham in in the Trade portfolio.