Australian union highlights need for anti-dumping agency

Australia's Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) is calling on the federal government to establish an anti-dumping agency, saying it could save hundreds of jobs in Southwest Victoria and Southeast South Australia. According to CFMEU, almost 30% of framing lumber used in the country's home building and construction market is imported and priced at below the cost of production.

Brad Coates, secretary of the union's Greater Green Triangle district, said this had forced companies including Carter Holt Harvey, Kimberly-Clarke and Gunns to cut hundreds of jobs at their processing facilities. He predicted that hundreds more jobs would be lost if imports of cheap timber continued, and said reducing the level of imports by just 10% could save up to a thousand jobs.

Coates predicted that if no action was taken, the industry would face a 'tsunami' of job cuts within 12-18 months. He said it would be a waste of time to hold a review on the situation as the need for an anti-dumping agency had been recognized two years ago.

Source: ABC News, Ballarat

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