Senate debates

Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Questions without Notice

Trade with China

2:00 pm

Photo of Simon BirminghamSimon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

To take Senator Watt's question in the interjection there: I'm happy to say, in relation to barley, that it's an 18 month process, an antidumping investigation, that has always had a deadline of 19 May in terms of the determination of that. So why now? Well, if you'd actually followed the process you would understand very clearly that it was instigated some time ago. The deadline that is there is one that has been in place. We are working with the Australian barley industry to make sure we put a response in to the draft determination that is as compelling as possible, that is based on the economic evidence that Australia's barley producers, like all of our grain growers, are some of the most productive and efficient in the world. They do not receive trade distorting or market distorting subsidies. They do not dump product below production cost on global markets anywhere in the world. They simply produce at great volume, when the climate allows, and at high quality and with efficient prices and competitive prices, because of their skill and expertise.

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