Australia: Abbott offers way to beat dumping

07/11/2011 12:00 - 369 Views

TONY Abbott says he would spend $2.5 million to create 20 specialist "dumping detectives" to protect Australian business and jobs from cheap imports.

In a speech to the Menzies Research Centre in Melbourne today, the Opposition Leader will outline a shake-up for anti-dumping rules, which he says are ineffective.

This year Kimberley Clarke, which makes toilet paper and tissues, cut 200 jobs partly in response to Indonesian toilet paper being sold at up to 45 per cent below cost and Chinese tissue products for 25 per cent below cost.

Mr Abbott says a Coalition government would reverse the onus of proof in anti-dumping investigations to force foreign businesses suspected of dumping products in Australia to prove they are not doing it.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor announced changes to anti-dumping laws in June to allow local firms to better take action.

November 07, 2011 12:00AM

By Phillip Hudson

Source: Herald Sun