Customs Amendment (Safeguard Inquiries) Bill 2026

Mr NEUMANN (Blair) (11:14): I'm pleased to speak in support of the Customs Amendment (Safeguard Inquiries) Bill 2026. The Albanese government supports free trade and supports fair trade. Since coming to office, we have repaired our trading relationship with China and signed and/or implemented free trade agreements with the European Union, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

We're a trading nation, and one in four Australians in employment owe their jobs to trade directly or indirectly. Rules based trade is good for Australia, Australian jobs and Australian households, but, when trade is not fair, we stand up for Australian businesses and Australian workers, using evidence based processes that safeguard the national interest. We take action to ensure Australian manufacturing isn't hurt by unfair trade.

We act because we want a strong and resilient economy and a future made in Australia. This bill represents an important step in creating fit-for-purpose national trade architecture for a complex and shock-prone world. The bill unifies all trade remedy responsibilities under one specialist body, enhancing the Albanese government's support for Australian manufacturers against increasingly unpredictable global trade dynamics.

We're committed to strengthening the trade remedies regime, protecting the Australian economy from unfair trade and levelling the playing field for local industry. Demand for trade remedies is increasing, but the trade remedies system we inherited is not fit for purpose. Currently, the responsibilities for the Australian trade remedies regime are split across the Anti-Dumping Commission and the Productivity Commission.

The bill transfers responsibility for the WTO safeguards inquiries from the Productivity Commission to the Anti-Dumping Commission, which will be renamed the Australian Trade Remedies Commission. The transfer of safeguard responsibilities was announced by Minister Farrell, the Treasurer and Minister Ayres back in August 2025, as an outcome of the economic reform roundtables, following strong industry and union advocacy.

Under the World Trade Organization regime, trade remedies can be put in place to protect Australian industries from injury caused by dumping or subsidisation of products manufactured overseas or by a surge in imports. What does this really mean? The Economics Legislation Committee of the Senate examined this particular bill in August 2026.

Both sides of politics supported its implementation. But what is the safeguard mechanism? A safeguard action is an emergency action, really, which can be taken by a government where there is a massive increase, or a surge, of imports which cause or threaten to cause serious injury to a domestic industry.

We can take action. This can be done in the form of tariffs, import quotas or other measures and are applied on a global basis in accordance with the rules internationally. It's done temporarily to give domestic industry time to adjust, in those circumstances, to the new import surge.

A safeguard inquiry can be undertaken to determine remedial action by government. They are undertaken in accordance with our obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT 1947) and agreement on safeguards contained in other safeguards agreements internationally. There is support for this legislation across the chamber.

I am pleased for that. Under this bill, the Trade Remedies Commission will have powers to undertake safeguard inquiries to determine whether an increase in imports is causing or threatens to cause serious injury to a domestic industry. So we've got a renamed commission.

We've got the conferral on that commission of the functions to conduct safeguard enquiries when a matter is referred to it by the responsible minister; the capacity to outline safeguard processes, including how the minister refers the matter to the commission; the requirement for the commissioner to provide a written report to the minister; the requirement for that inquiry report to be tabled; public notice of inquiries and hearings; requirements for documents submitted to the commission to be made public except when certain confidential exceptions are necessary; the establishment of information collection methods for the commissioner; and the empowerment of the commissioner to do incidental safeguard functioning.

Finally, the legislation includes a public interest consideration similar to that required by the Productivity Commission. What will the commissioner consider? There are the benefits to the Australian producers in removing the serious injury; the economic significance of the Australian industries affected; the likely impact of the recommendation on the Australian economy, downstream industries and consumers; and other matters under the terms of reference.

The inclusion of a public interest consideration, I think, provides some confidence to the community about the assessment that will impact on the range of stakeholders. The approach taken in the bill, I think, balances what is necessary and also transparency. The bill supports our commitment to ongoing practical regulatory improvement.

The bill will not remove the Productivity Commission's existing framework for conducting its own safeguard inquiries, including its current inquiry into steel imports. Given the increased likelihood of application for industry for safeguarding inquiries and calls for key stakeholders, the bill has been expedited ahead of the government's trade remedy reform effort.

The bill has overwhelming support from stakeholders. The member for Spence outlined some of them. The AWU supports it.

The ACTU and industry also support it. There's a lot of support, and there's ongoing consultation. The Australian Steel Institute supports it.

The Australian Industry Group supports it. Manufacturing Australia supports it. It has a broad range of support, and it demonstrates, I think, our commitment in this area.

I note, as I said before, the Senate Economics Legislation Committee reported on it. The coalition members had some concern, apparently, but really they gave support as well. So there's some urgency in relation to the bill, as I've said.

I mentioned before that the bill won't remove the Productivity Commission's existing framework for conducting safeguard inquiries, and that safeguard inquiry is looking into allegations of dumping in the steel industry and will determine if increased steel imports are damaging our domestic industry. The PC will continue to undertake that inquiry. The current inquiry is being conducted in response to a formal request by the Australian Steel Institute, ASI, to introduce safeguard measures against importation of fabricated steel-structure products.

That inquiry is looking at beams, guardrails, stairways and other types of things, and we're seeing a surge in imports, which really, in my view, do cause serious injury to the Australian domestic steel industry. And I'm looking forward to the outcome. I'm hopeful that the PC will do the right thing here.

We're doing this because we understand the pressures on the Australian and global steel sectors. The industry has called for action; we're responding here. The government referred the ASI's application to the PC, the responsible body, under that legislation, because it warranted formal consideration.

I think it certainly did. That inquiry is very important for my electorate, as a number of local steel and aluminium producers have been severely affected by unfair practices. For example, Capital Aluminium is a large aluminium extrusion plant in Bundamba and Ipswich.

The member for Chifley has been there with me before, and we've been there a number of times. Those antidumping measures are very important, as they allow manufacturers like Capital to compete on a fair and level basis. I've met with Capital several times in recent years, and they have said the aluminium sector, particularly aluminium extrusion, is globally dealing with huge overcapacity in China and unfair trade practices that have resulted.

So Capital welcomes the result of this case and the certainty it brings to the Australian domestic extrusion industry. In addition, CASA Engineering has a facility in Bundamba in my electorate and supplies fabricated structural steel to builders. I met with director Peter Casa late last year, and he told me the firm had been significantly impacted by extensive structural steel imports from two countries, particularly China and Vietnam, and he had to close two workshops and reduce his workforce.

At the time, CASA Engineering had called for the government to refer ASI's application to the PC for a safeguard inquiry, which we've done, and for safeguard measures to address the harm being done to the local steel fabrication industry and help firms like theirs to survive. Importantly, these efforts build on other initiatives to tackle dumping and support local manufacturing.

For example, in October last year, following an investigation by the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission, the minister for industry and science extended the duties on aluminium extrusion exported from China to Australia for a further five years. Initially imposed in 2010, these antidumping measures maintain the value of Australian produced aluminium extrusion, which are used in the construction, automotive, aerospace and electronics industries.

Under these measures, Chinese aluminium extrusion manufacturers will be hit with import duties if it is priced below local market values. Again, Capital, who have a facility in my electorate, are the largest producer of aluminium extrusion in Australia, and they welcome the extension, which is helping to preserve local manufacturing industry. The Albanese government is strengthening Australia's antidumping regime to support local manufacturing firms in my electorate and protect jobs in regional areas like Ipswich.

As well as this, the government is providing the Anti-Dumping Commission with an additional $5 million to boost investigation capabilities. That's been an ongoing issue from my experience, my observation and the feedback I've heard from stakeholders. On top of this, in January this year, the government launched a $20 million Made Right Here in Australia campaign to raise awareness of Australian products and encourage consumers around the country to buy Australian.

Our grant to the Australia Made campaign is supported by a major 'buy local' push in stores, online, and across the media. Australia Made, including the Made Right Here campaign, gives local manufacturers like Capral a trusted, highly recognised mark which helps identify Australian made products and gives customers confidence they are buying quality and locally.

These reforms are part of a broader resilience plan anchored by a future made in Australia design to level the playing field, cut red tape and strengthen manufacturing at every stage. I want to thank the Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science for bringing forward this important legislation and for the work done by the government to deliver Australia's Future Made in Australia agenda.

That Future Made in Australia agenda is part of Labor's agenda, and we believe in it thoroughly. In summary, this bill will create a specialist body that will be known as the Australian Trade Remedies Commission. It will comply with Australia's commitment to the World Trade Organization and the rules based trading system.

It will provide stronger defences against sudden and unforeseen surges in imports by providing a single authority which can bring deep expertise to trade remedies. That has not always been the case here in Australia. It will support Australian industry, our regional areas like Ipswich and a future made in Australia.

I know how important fair trade and a level playing field for job security of workers at blue-collar jobs in Ipswich are. Our government has the biggest pro-manufacturing package of any Australian government in Australian history. Part of that is making sure our antidumping and trade remedies regimes are fit for purpose and that their design is geared towards backing Australian industry.

That's what this legislation is all about and that's why I commend it to the House.