Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I want to take parliament back just for a short moment to the 19th century. On the Griffith University's website, I read a very interesting online article by Cameron Muir about Australia and its agriculture in 1800s. He writes:

Governments needed to redeem the settler project, and agriculture based on scientific principles emerged as an unexpected solution. The idea that agriculture could play a significant role in the development of the colonies had been largely abandoned as settlers focused on mining and pastoral pursuits. Few people thought agriculture could pay in such a dry climate, with such a small population and long carting distances.

This has lot to do with the Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2015 and related bill before the House, because it talks about the importance of agriculture. It talks about the fact that agriculture then, as now, has such an important role to play. Mr Muir goes on to write:

In 1892, William Wilkins, the Under Secretary for Public Instruction, wrote a fifty-page treatise on agriculture in New South Wales, which began, ‘It was a maxim of ancient statecraft that the food supply of the people should be raised within its own boundaries.' … Wilkins went on to comment, however, that imperial relationships and international trade had rendered this obsolete. New South Wales, following Britain, could import its food. Although Wilkins was an advocate of agriculture in Australia, he cautioned that the necessary economic conditions must exist before agriculture could succeed.

It rings so true today.

I note that the member for Makin is in the chamber. I also note that the member for Makin has put some amendments to this antidumping bill. I further note that the member for Makin, who travelled right throughout the Murray-Darling Basin with the Standing Committee on Regional Australia, came to Griffith in my electorate of Riverina. There he saw how important growing food is not just for our country but for other countries as well.

I recall in my maiden speech in 2010 that I spoke of the fact that each and every Griffith farmer—and the member for Ballarat who is in the chamber will be interested in this—grows food to feed 150 Australians each year but also 450 people from overseas. Griffith farmers feed a significant number of people. Antidumping legislation is very important to Griffith people. It is very important to the people I represent, because they want to be sure that when they grow their food they are competing on as level a playing field as they possibly can.

I am really pleased that this legislation is being put before the parliament, because, in the words of the Minister for Industry, the member for Groom, and his parliamentary secretary, the member for Paterson, in their joint media release of 15 December 2014: it is going to bolster Australia's antidumping system with a range of welcome reforms. It is going to strengthen what we have got now as far as this legislation or policy is concerned, while complying with the international trade rules. We have got a good record on trade on this side of House. We have just signed preferential trade agreements with Korea, Japan and China, and we are working hard to get one with India. The minister went on to say:

Australia supports free trade, but free trade should also be fair trade.

He is so right. He continues:

The dumping of goods from overseas is harmful to Australian businesses and action can be taken to prevent this behaviour under World Trade Organization rules. Where local companies are being injured by dumping practices they are able to seek trade remedies.

Of course he is right. What we also need to protect is our Australian growers—our fine Australian producers—because the very best farmers in the world are those from Australia. I would almost dare say that the very best farmers in Australia are those from the Riverina. Of course you would expect me to say that—but they are! And the Riverina is indeed the food bowl of this nation. This legislation is going to help protect and preserve that great food bowl. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate interrupted.

See this speech in context