Interview with Richard King, 2HD Newcastle

RICHARD KING, HOST: Well, in the final determination by the Anti-Dumping Commission on Friday, the Commission found that Molycop had suffered material injury over several years from the importation of cheaper Chinese train wheels and I revisited a bit of what Donald Trump had to say about tariffs. And somebody I've spoken to on numerous occasions and he's been down in our neck of the woods on numerous occasions is our Federal Industry Minister, Tim Ayres. And Tim is on the line. Good morning, Tim.

SENATOR TIM AYRES, MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE: Richard, it's good to be on the show.

HOST: Well, and good news, good news from the ACD, the Anti-Dumping Commission re these Chinese train wheels say tariffs aren't all bad, are they timing?

AYRES: Well, these duties are a specific response to a specific set of circumstances recommended by the Anti-Dumping Commission. I think I've been on your show before talking about the Dumping Commission and its role. We've made sure this is the Albanese Government here delivering real change for manufacturing and manufacturing workers, making sure that the Anti-Dumping Commission has the resources that it needs and the direction that it needs in an era where there's more unfair trade practises, more dumping. You know, we are an open market economy – one in four of our private sector jobs relies upon trade with the world. If you're in a firm that's engaged in trade activity around the world, the wages are higher, jobs are better jobs, but we make no apologies for backing in the evidence-based processes of the Anti-Dumping Commission and it doing the work that it needs to do to make sure that Australian workers are on a level playing field.

HOST: Right. And I noticed too that the Commission has directed that a 10 per cent duty be imposed on one Chinese exporter and 28.8 per cent for the remainder. Why is one singled out for a smaller duty?

AYRES: Well, it's very important here to let the Anti-Dumping Commission speak for itself on these issues. Our role here has been to make sure that the Anti-Dumping Commission has the direction and the support that it needs. We're going to be making further reforms in this area, not just talking about what's going on in a volatile global trading environment, you know, not just slogans but delivering real change for workers and firms here. It's an evidence-based process that's very important because decisions can be subject to review so, it's very important that they do their work effectively. I'm really pleased with the vigour with which they have approached this the way that they have moved fast in relation to Molycop's claims that they made. And that means that has a real impact for that group of workers and for that firm that are just so important. That's the old Comsteel. Such an important part of Newcastle and the Hunter's industrial sector.

HOST: Sure. And look, as I understand it too, local manufacturers did supply in the past all railway wheels for NSW trains and I think that's fallen to less than 30 per cent. So, is the hope that that will become more than 30 per cent or just stay on hold where it is now?

AYRES: Oh yes. It's not just NSW trains, of course, it's private freight that matters here and I want the purchasers of these products to look up and take notice and make sure that they are doing the right thing here.

HOST: Right.

AYRES: This is an important decision. I'm really pleased with the way that Hunter industrial community has been working together with the Government over a whole range of these issues. We are unashamedly about reindustrialising the Hunter Valley. So, whether it's Tomago. Whether it's the NSW Government's huge efforts on bringing back train manufacturing to the Hunter, Orica at Kooragang island, bringing missile manufacturing here to the Hunter Valley, the Tomago Aluminium smelter intervention, rebuilding the electricity system around Hunter, around Tomago. These are billions of dollars of real change and real effort that is going to make a real difference to sustaining industry and you know, making sure that continues for decades.

HOST: Right. And we talk about the Anti-Dumping Commission, but how do we determine if a product's being dumped? I mean we've had many manufacturers – I think of Bradmill, which was a major clothing manufacturer here but because of the importation of cheaper Chinese clothing, it's disappeared as have many clothing manufacturers. I mean it obviously wasn't determined as being dumping. So, how do we determine that a product coming in is being dumped here?

AYRES: Well, it's a very specific, as I say, evidence-based process that has to satisfy a whole series of legislated tests that go to whether there is unfair trade practices or subsidies or oversupply or a range of criteria that determine whether it's dumped. It's not just international competition. What Australian workers want to be is on a level playing field.

HOST: Sure.

AYRES: You know, where we compete on the basis of our capability. And you know, I back Australian industry any day of the week but I want to see a level playing field and that's what I think people in the Hunter will want to see. And that's why there's confidence about the future of Molycop and why it's so important that the Anti-Dumping Commission plays this role.

HOST: And when will this come into effect, these, these duties or these tariffs?

AYRES: Well, I made some preliminary orders a few a few months ago, they'll be imposed steadily. They'll be imposed for a period of time. They can be the subject of future reviews. This is, as I say, it's a careful evidence-based process not aimed any particular. It's there to deliver a real result but it's a painstaking evidence-based process. I'm really pleased with the way that the firm's engaged in this work and that the Anti-Dumping Commission has done its independent role.

HOST: Good and I'm sure the workers there are very happy about the result as well. The result in the by election over in WA at Secret Harbour wasn't a good one for Labor and many of your fellow MPs, Labor MPs in government, have had a bit to say on that and said, ‘yeah, we're learning lessons’. What are the lessons that Labor has learnt from that by-election over in WA? Admittedly it was a state by-election, but what are the lessons for Labor from One Nation's victory last weekend?

AYRES: Well, I start from the premise that you never take the support of any community for granted and you've got to work hard every day in the interest of the community. We have as a government, we have worked very hard on the issues that matter. I just think again, the issues that we've just been talking about, the broader industrial position for the Hunter Valley and what that means for blue collar jobs in the Hunter Valley.

The Albanese Government has the biggest pro-manufacturing package of any government in Australian history. We are working locally, not just in Canberra pulling the policy levers, but working locally with industry to drive more investment and more jobs. So, we don't take anything for granted. But there'll be choices in future elections between the Liberals and Nationals and One Nation who can't govern without each other. You know, a vote for one is a vote for the other. If you vote for the Liberals, you're really delivering a vote for One Nation. If you vote for One Nation, you're really delivering a vote for the Liberals. And the Labor Party is getting on with the job –

HOST: Good.

AYRES: And working with communities to deliver real results. And I can think of countless examples in the Hunter Valley where state and federal MPs are working together to deliver results like the Tomago Aluminium intervention just a few weeks ago.

HOST: Always good to talk to you, Tim. Thank you very much for your time this morning and enjoy the rest of your Wednesday. Tim, certainly glorious weather with us at the moment.

AYRES: Oh, it's beautiful. Thanks, Richard.

HOST: Good on you, Tim. Tim Ayres our Federal Industry Minister on 2HD.