The NSW Liberals and Nationals are backing farmers in opposing China’s additional 55 per cent tariff on Australian beef imports.
NSW Nationals Leader and Shadow Minister for Regional NSW and Trade Gurmesh Singh said Premier Chris Minns should pick up the phone to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to ensure Canberra is fighting hard for the state’s beef industry.
“China is NSW’s largest beef export market, purchasing close to $900 million worth of our beef each year and accounting for around one-third of our state’s beef export value,” Singh said.
“While trade negotiations are a federal responsibility, Chris Minns and his Ministers can’t leave our regions and regional producers without a voice on yet another issue.”
The additional tariff came into effect on Saturday after Australia exhausted its annual 205,000-tonne beef export quota to China.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture Brendan Moylan said NSW farmers work hard to produce the best beef in the world.
“They don’t want sympathy, they need Canberra to fix the problem, and the Minns Labor Government should be demanding exactly that,” Moylan said.
The NSW beef industry contributes almost $4 billion to the state economy and supports thousands of jobs.
Moylan said any disruption to the Chinese market could flow through the supply chain and place downward pressure on cattle prices across regional NSW.
“The Minns Labor Government should be using every avenue available to make sure Canberra understands what is at stake for regional communities,” Moylan said.
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