Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

The government is aware of claims of substandard materials being imported into Australia and, like most enforcement issues, it is very difficult—practically impossible, in fact—to inspect every single shipment of materials that are imported into the country. The enforcement of standards, especially those referenced in the National Construction Code, is largely a responsibility of state and territory governments, but it is certainly the case that any issue which has a bearing on the health and safety of workplaces and communities more generally is something that is taken extremely seriously by the government.

Product failure on construction sites may depend on the way products are used on the building sites or whether the right products are being used for the right purpose. It may also depend on the quality of the product, which may or may not contravene Australian standards covering the goods. I certainly appreciate Senator Madigan's concern for maximising Australian content in major construction projects. The government's recently announced plan for Australian jobs will seek to increase the level of Australian participation and therefore the amount of Australian products in construction projects. A new Australian Industry Participation agency will work with local businesses to take advantage of opportunities to work on major projects or tap into global supply chains of international companies. Our reforms to anti-dumping rules mean Australian industry can compete in our domestic market on a level playing field. We are investing $24.4 million to increase the Custom and Border Protection's investigative capability—almost doubling the number of investigators—and so making it easier for small to medium enterprises to access and use the anti-dumping system. It has been well reported that we are also establishing a new Anti-Dumping Commission to investigate dumping complaints for small to medium enterprises.