Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor and Member for Port Adelaide Mark Butler today welcomed a new partnership between the Australian Government and industry that will improve access to the anti-dumping system for Australian businesses.

The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has agreed to host the Small and Medium Enterprises Support Officer (SSO) as a two year pilot. The SSO will be employed by Ai Group under a funding agreement with the Government.

“The SSO project is a key component in the package of improvements outlined in the Government’s Streamlining Australia’s anti-dumping system policy. It will provide more practical support to small and medium enterprises - those facing the greatest barriers to accessing the anti-dumping system,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The SSO project will promote greater understanding of the anti-dumping system among small and medium enterprises, and help Australian producers and manufacturers that are injured by dumping or subsidisation to seek appropriate access to remedies.

“The SSO will work with businesses, helping them to prepare applications, including compiling evidence that may be needed to initiate an investigation, and then working with other businesses that wish to participate in ongoing investigations.”

The SSO will also monitor downstream industries that may be affected by measures that have been put in place.

Mr O’Connor made the announcement while visiting Penrice Soda, the only Australian manufacturer of soda ash, which is a vital ingredient in products ranging from glass containers to sodium bicarbonate.

Penrice Soda has been successful in obtaining remedies against dumped imports of sodium bicarbonate from China and has been a strong advocate of an effective anti-dumping system in Australia.

In its Streamlining Australia’s Anti-Dumping System policy, the Australian Government also committed to facilitating better access to the anti-dumping and countervailing system through the development and maintenance of a subsidies register.

This subsidies register will assist companies considering countervailing action where they have been damaged by imports of subsidised products in other countries. The register, which provides a summary of subsidy programs previously investigated by Customs and Border Protection, is available from today on the Customs website.

Customs and Border Protection is also developing a new case management system. The subsidies register will be incorporated into that system in the future.

The Government is supporting Australian business to remedy the harmful effects of unfair trading practices like dumping and the subsidisation of goods by other countries.

The Government’s package of improvements ensure that Australia’s anti-dumping system is effective, while at the same time reaffirming its commitment to liberalised trade, which benefits Australian consumers and businesses alike and helps keep the economy strong.