Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Carr, Lazarus, Madigan and Muir, move:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes:

(i)   the importance of Australia's steel industry, not only in terms of revenue but also jobs and the economic value created through the multiplier effect,

(ii)   the recent announcement by Arrium OneSteel that unless operating conditions improve at their steel manufacturing facility in Whyalla, thousands of jobs could be lost in the region, and

(iii)   actions by the United States of America, India and Canada in recent weeks, in relation to imposing duties on steel dumped in those markets, as well as a current investigation by the European Commission of imported steel in the European Union;

(b)   calls on the Government to:

(i)   uphold the provisions of the Australian Jobs Act 2013 and the 'Buy Australian at Home and Abroad' principles, and

(ii)   urgently uphold procurement rules that recognise the economic value and contribution to the Australian economy of local production of steel, including the positive impact on small– and medium–enterprises in the Australian steel industry supply chain when compared to using imported steel, and taking this into account:

(A)   seek to maximise the use of locally-milled and locally-fabricated steel in federally-funded infrastructure and construction projects where possible, and

(B)   ensure all taxpayer-funded infrastructure and construction projects be supplied with steel made to the Australian standard, and refer to the South Australian Government's policy as a best practice model for third party certification to ensure that steel procured for public works is independently tested and certified to Australian standards; and

(c)   expedite the Australian Dumping Commission's investigation into allegations of steel being dumped in Australia, and, if need be, provide additional resources to the Commission to effect this.

Question agreed to.