Nationals Leader Matt Canavan said Labor had failed Australian exporters after the Trump Administration confirmed a 12.5 per cent tariff on certain Australian exports.
Senator Canavan said while the tariffs are unjustified and inconsistent with the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement, Labor had failed to do the work to secure a lower tariff rate for Australian exporters.
“17 countries were given a flat 10 per cent rate. Australia was not one of them,” Senator Canavan said.
“The United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, India and Indonesia will all face a lower rate than Australia.
“Australia is subject to a 12.5 per cent tariff rate, the same rate as Russia, China, and Venezuela.
“At Senate Estimates I asked whether the government intended to argue that Australia belonged in the lower tier. The department agreed, the lower tier was available, yet other countries got it and Australia did not.
“I asked whether officials appeared before the US public hearings in April. We did not. Officials said they had judged that there were ‘sufficient opportunities’ elsewhere. We can now see where that judgement got us.”
Senator Canavan said Labor had also failed to take meaningful action against forced labour in international supply chains, despite years of warnings.
“Four years ago, Senator Wong told the Senate she was ‘deeply concerned’ about Uyghur forced labour in solar-panel supply chains.
“Since then, Labor has appointed a commissioner but failed to establish the kind of import prohibition the United States says is required.”
Senator Canavan said the Government must now provide a full account of its engagement with the United States and a clear plan to have the tariffs removed.
“Labor’s failure to act has weakened our trade position which Australian farmers, exporters and manufacturers will now pay the price for.”
