HYPOCRISY AND CROCODILE TEARS FROM LABOR ON ANTI-DUMPING
23-November-2011
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor and Trade Minister Craig Emerson should apologise to Tony Abbott and the Coalition for their bleating about our anti-dumping policy after their stunning own goal in the Parliament today.
Labor falsely claimed that our proposed use of preliminary affirmative determinations (PADs) contravened WTO rules. Now, after apparent pressure from Michael O’Connor (from the CFMEU), they have endorsed our approach to PADs.
In our anti-dumping policy (released on 7 November 2011), we stated that, where satisfactory evidence exists, we would require foreign businesses subject to an anti-dumping action that has lasted for at least 60 days to demonstrate they are not dumping goods into Australia.
However, Ministers O’Connor and Emerson have since used that part of our policy as the springboard for a hysterical campaign in the media, claiming it would breach WTO rules and incite retaliatory action from Australia’s trading partners.
Today Mr O’Connor introduced the Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Improvements) Bill (No.2) 2011 to the Parliament. The Explanatory Memorandum circulated with this Bill states on page 57:
“….the Government believes that earlier provisional measures will better prevent injury to Australian manufacturers and producers during the investigation.”
This is a sneaky admission from Labor that the Coalition’s policy is entirely WTO-compliant and sensible. It is also a complete contradiction of the myths Ministers O’Connor and Emerson have been peddling in the media in recent weeks.
In another extraordinary revelation in today’s Explanatory Memorandum, page 2 states that Labor has suddenly plucked $10.4 million from thin air to fund minor anti-dumping changes it made in June. Labor has previously said its changes to Customs were revenue-neutral – but, in a remarkable coincidence, new funding has suddenly been found and almost exactly matches the Coalition’s policy costings over the forward estimates.
Although Julia Gillard is hardly a respected authority in these matters, she should carpet both Ministers for deliberately misleading the Australian public.