A Shorten Labor Government will protect Australian jobs by making it easier for local manufacturing firms to take effective action against the dumping of below cost foreign goods into Australia.

Dumping is cheating and is a particular problem for Australias steel industry.

The announcement by the United States of a 25 per cent tariff on imported steel from a number of other countries increases the threat of more steel being dumped in Australia, putting further pressure on an industry already feeling the impact of a glut of foreign steel production.

Labor will support local businesses by:

• Introducing a mechanism that will allow businesses in anti-dumping investigations to nominate the form of duty that should be applied, this will form part of the recommendation to the Minister by the Anti-Dumping Commissioner;
• Restrict the time available for cited dumpers to request a review of ADC decisions to prevent them gaming the system to their own advantage;
• Amend the Census and Statistics Act to improve access to trade and import data held by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Todays announcement comes on top of commitments that Labor made earlier this year to support local manufacturers by:

• Tripling penalties for circumventing trade remedies;
• Better resourcing the Anti-Dumping Commission by increasing funding by $3.5 million a year, which will increase staff numbers at the Commission by around 30; and
• Transferring responsibilities for safeguard measures from the Productivity Commission to the Anti-Dumping Commission.

Australian manufacturing jobs depend upon strong anti-dumping laws.

The US decision to increase tariffs raises a real risk that other countries could potentially use Australia as a dumping ground for steel. If this happens, it puts Australian jobs at risk.

Labor will not let Australia become a dumping ground for below cost foreign goods which would put Australian manufacturing jobs at risk.

Unlike the Conservatives who are sitting on their hands when it comes to anti-dumping laws, Labor will take action to make sure Australian businesses and workers get a fair go.

More information about Labors tougher anti-dumping plan can be found here.