Doorstop in Hobart, Tas

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP
HOBART
FRIDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2024

Subjects: China-Australia trade; the salmon industry; competition and the Albanese Labor Government’s support for small businesses. 

JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: In news yesterday, the Albanese Labor Government has secured a timetable for the return of live rock lobster into the Chinese market. I know that this news will be welcomed by many of the lobster fishers in Australia, and we're talking about an industry that could be worth up to $700 million for Australian lobster fishers. We know that we started when we came to government with around $20 billion in agriculture, fisheries and forestry trade impediments, of $20 billion. Since we've come to office, we've been working carefully with the Chinese government to see that returned. And indeed, last financial year, we had in terms of agriculture, fisheries and forestry return of over $17 billion in exports to China. 

So we've been working carefully as a federal government to restore these markets, but we've also been working to diversify our markets more generally. We have opened up or improved or maintained markets at threat now in more than 150 different countries, to ensure that Australia's great agricultural, fisheries and forestry products can be enjoyed by the world, and that the Australian economy benefits from that. 

JOURNALIST: What does that mean for jobs?

COLLINS: We know there's around 3000 jobs in this industry with the lobster fishers. We know that there are thousands interstate, and even hundreds of jobs here in Tasmania. We know that lobster fishes will be welcoming this news. I had a meeting with them with the Trade Minister just a few weeks ago, and indeed, my department met with them again yesterday after this news. We want to work carefully to make sure that we have this transition as smooth as possible. 

JOURNALIST: How significant has this ban been on the Tasmanian and broader Australian rock lobster markets?

COLLINS: We know that some of the rock lobster fishers have been having a very tough time. We know this news will be welcomed. As I've said, it could be worth over $700 million to the industry and to jobs here in Australia, around 3000 jobs that have been impacted by this. 

JOURNALIST: Is it likely we'll see an increase in prices, now that the ban’s lifted?

COLLINS: Well, of course, my job as the Agriculture Minister and the Fisheries Minister is to make sure we get the best possible price for our great Australian produce. I'm sure that there'll be work done to make sure that that occurs, but what we want to do is make the transition as smooth as possible.

JOURNALIST: The owner of Mures is concerned about the impact this will have on the price for locals. What negative impacts could lifting this ban have?

COLLINS: Well, it will be a timetable. It will be a smooth transition. We will work with lobster fishers, and what we want to do is make sure that not just Tasmanians and Australians, but indeed people around the world can enjoy our great produce. 

JOURNALIST: Tasmanians kept this industry alive throughout this period. Is the honeymoon period over basically?

COLLINS: What I would say is, is that, of course, our exports return investment and jobs to local communities. It's important for local communities to prosper. When we talk about tens of millions of dollars here in Tasmania and up to $700 million nationally, that is money that's coming into the Australian economy to grow Australian jobs and to benefit Australian households.

JOURNALIST: Is there a concern about becoming too reliant on the Chinese market again? Has the industry diversified and become more resilient in recent years?

COLLINS: That's why we as a government have been working to diversify Australian markets. As I've said, over 150 new markets or improved markets or restoring markets or supporting markets that were threatened has occurred under our government. Australian trade is the most diversified it's ever been. Our government will continue to work bilaterally with other nations to improve Australia's access to the globe. 

JOURNALIST: Do you know how many more tons of rock lobster may be fished as a result of this lifting of the ban? 

COLLINS: Look, those decisions will be made by the various state governments that manage the local fisheries. But what I would say, of course, is that we know that the fishers have been doing it tough, and this decision will be widely welcomed by lobster fishers, but also economies that are relying on this across Australia. 

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] are there any other areas you’re looking to improve on exports to China?

COLLINS: Well, as I've said, we've removed now many of the impediments when it comes to agriculture, fisheries and forestry. We do have a couple of processers in red meat yet to deal with and we do have some other issues, smaller markets, but we will be working in a careful, considered way on those and continue that important work.

JOURNALIST: Bans on commodities like barley and wine lifted quite a long time ago now. Why has it taken so much longer to get the ban on rock lobster lifted?

COLLINS: We’ve been working carefully to make sure that we have a smooth transition, and I think it's welcome news that we have a timetable now [inaudible] rock lobster into the Chinese market by the end of the year.

JOURNALIST: The salmon industry is waiting for Tanya Plibersek to make a decision to determine its future on the west coast. Have you had any conversations with her about that recently?

COLLINS: Well, of course, our government has been a big supporter of the local jobs supported by the salmon industry. We know what a valuable contribution they make to the Tasmanian economy. I, of course, have been engaged with the salmon industry, with some of the local producers of salmon, as well as with the peak body to make sure that whatever happens - Minister Plibersek has to make a decision because of the legislation, the Howard Government legislation under the EPBC Act - I want to make sure that our industry continues to grow and thrive in a sustainable way here in Tasmania.

JOURNALIST: When you say whatever happens, are you not confident that the decision will go to favour the way of the salmon industry? 

COLLINS: Oh, look, that's not my decision to make. What I can say is that I'm a strong supporter, and as has the government been for a long time.

JOURNALIST: Can you shed any light on why this has taken so long? 

COLLINS: Well, there are due processes to go through, evidence and data to be collected, and the decision is to be made by the Minister responsible under the Act. It's the Howard Government’s act that the Minister has to abide by the law.

JOURNALIST: Minister. Sorry, am I able to? Thank you. Minister, Dominic from AAP here. I'm just wondering, back to lobster, you've had discussions with the industry. Do you know how fast they'd be able to scale up now that the timeline has been announced, and whether they'll be able to scale up significantly before Chinese New
Year?

COLLINS: Myself and the Trade Minister had a meeting with the lobster fishers and their peak bodies just a few weeks ago. My department and the trade department had another discussion with them yesterday afternoon. We're working very closely with them to make this transition as smooth as possible.

JOURNALIST: Have they given an indication about what that scale up looks like though, in terms of percentages? I know tons was mentioned before, but in terms of what this would actually mean and how those supply chains come back into operation. 

COLLIS: That's why we need to work carefully and to make sure that this transition is smooth, and that is our intention, and we're working very closely with the industry on it.

JOURNALIST: China also made some demands to the industry before it reinstated the imports along the lines of more stringent biosecurity checks, with some of it, a monitoring database. Have we given them those concessions? Does the industry have to develop those databases?

COLLINS: Look, we've been working with the industry and with the Chinese officials. Certainly my department and other departments have been doing a lot of work. We’ll be making this transition as smooth as possible. 

JOURNALIST: But were those agreed to? I'm just trying to get an understanding of what the industry has to do.

COLLINS: Well, we'll be working with the industry. We've had discussions with the industry, and the industry as well as this decision.

JOURNALIST: But are there, are there further requirements on the industry than what was in place four years ago? 

COLLINS: We’ll be working with the industry on what requirements there will be under the timetable for a transition and to get back into the Chinese market. We'll continue to do that work. 

JOURNALIST: I appreciate you working with the industry, but are you able to say what that work is and what those requirements are.

COLLINS: We’re, of course, working with the Chinese department, their biosecurity department, our government's biosecurity department in in my department. They've been working very closely to make sure that this transition works and that it's as smooth as it can be.

JOURNALIST: And then, just lastly, who picks up the tab to that database and the extra biosecurity checks?

COLLINS: Look, we've been doing the work. As I said, we've been liaising closely with the Chinese government. We've had officials in China, and they've had officials out here to make sure that we make this work and it's as smooth as possible. 

JOURNALIST: Are you heading to China anytime soon?

COLLINS: We’re working as a government to make sure that this is as smooth as possible. And certainly, what you saw yesterday was our Prime Minister engaging directly with Premier Li. There have been discussions happening as needed to make sure that this could occur. We want to make sure that as many people across the globe get access to great Australian produce.

JOURNALIST: Thanks, Minister, that's all from me.

JOURNALIST: The Chinese economy is obviously in a very different state than it was four years ago. Do you think they're going to still have the same appetite for Australian rock lobster? 

COLLINS: Look, that's why we need to work very closely and have this smooth transition, and that's what we've been working on. We want to make sure, as I've said, that we get great Australian produce and we get the best price for it, because that has great returns to our local economies and has an impact and a flow onto jobs here in Australia.

JOURNALIST: You talked about the diversification of our exports, but Chinese importers, they've looked to alternative sources. How are we going to remarket Tasmanian rock lobster, or Australian rock lobster?

COLLINS: I'm sure that, given we've got such a great product, that the Chinese consumers will want to see Australian lobster back on their menus. And we will be working to make this transition as smooth as we can.

JOURNALIST: Just one on the cost of living inquiry, as Small Business Minister. Coles and Woolworths have been grilled at an inquiry this morning. We hear constantly about the lack of competition. Is the supermarket duopoly locking small grocery stores out of the market?

COLLINS: What you've seen, of course, from our government is a boosting of the ACCC's powers and investment from the taxpayer and our government to make sure that the ACCC can hold the two big supermarkets to account. As Small Business Minister, what I've been focused on is making sure that we have targeted support for small businesses. You saw that in our last federal budget, over $640 million in targeted support for small businesses. Things like, you know, energy bill relief. Things like the instant asset write off. Making sure that we level the playing field for small businesses in terms of payment times, making sure that they get paid on time. Introducing unfair contract terms legislation. We are working to make sure that small businesses can have access to a level playing field.