Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

The minister for industry convened a meeting in Wollongong on 7 September 2015, which focused on strengthening the economic future of the Illawarra region. Discussions involved all layers of government, along with representatives from the steel industry, unions, tertiary institutions, the wider business community and local members of parliament, including Senator Fierravanti-Wells and Ann Sudmalis.

Safeguards provisions and the anti-dumping regime are two separate systems and should not be confused. The industry has access to both the anti-dumping regime if there are concerns about dumped imports. And it has the ability to initiate a safeguards investigation, which it has not done, if it believes that a very sudden and major influx of product has occurred and not in response to an ongoing market trend, which in this case reflects a changing steel market and global commodity prices.

The industry needs a clear plan developed with all affected stakeholders and not knee-jerk reactions. The government will not be supporting this motion. I do also note that a substantial amendment was circulated to this motion about 10 minutes before housekeeping, which I do not think is particularly good practice.