Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Tonight we have had a number of contributions to the debate on this bill because it is an important bill. It is a measure to ensure we have a better process in place with respect to our antidumping regime. Whilst you could be forgiven for thinking that opposition members are voting against the bill, they are actually voting in favour of the bill without amendment. I thank them for that. Whilst there were contributions that would have given the impression that some of the opposition members thought they had stumbled into the Appropriation Bill debate, the facts are that there is no dissent when it comes to this bill because this bill is a good bill and is responding importantly to improve the effectiveness of the antidumping regime. The government will have more to say on these matters.

I will add one final thing given that the member for Indi chose to speak very broadly on this area of public policy. In the 11½ years of the Howard government there were no changes whatsoever to the antidumping regime, there were no reforms put in place to make it more effective. So what we are dealing with here, if there are changes that may need to be made, is a construct that was not changed one iota by the Howard government.

Having said that, in brief response to some of the broader matters that were raised in this debate, I would like to thank all speakers for their contribution. The Customs Amendment Bill 2011 will clarify the circumstances in which the minister may revoke antidumping measures as a consequence of a review of the measures. The amendments will improve procedural fairness by making the process of applying for a revocation review transparent to all affected parties. The amendments will also give interested parties adequate time to defend their interests and will ensure that investigators have time to consider the issues before reporting to the minister. The amendments were drafted in close consultation with the Customs and Border Protection Service, the Attorney-General's Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and are consistent with Australia's international law obligations. More importantly, the amendments will ensure that where measures have been put in place to address injury faced by Australian industry as a result of unfair trade practices, those measures remain effective.

These amendments have been welcomed by the Australian Workers Union, the CFMEU, the AMWU, the Australian Food and Grocery Council and the Australian Industry Group among others. Australian manufacturers have applauded these amendments because they restore the appropriate balance between the interests of Australian manufacturers and importers by ensuring that measures are not unduly or prematurely revoked.

I commend the bill to the house.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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