Forced Labour Investigation from the USTR - Mr Greer

Question

Senator CANAVAN: Did the trade minister himself raise these issues directly with Mr Greer, the USTR? Mr Mina: Whether there was an opportunity between the launch of the investigation and the most recent announcement, we will check. Certainly the trade minister has been in regular contact with his counterpart USTR Greer. I know from memory that he had an occasion, when he was on the west coast of the United States earlier this year, to have raised our consistent posture on US tariffs, which is that they are unwarranted and not justified. I know, of course, that, as we said yesterday, he had an opportunity just yesterday, immediately after the recommendations-and remember that these are only recommendations at this stage from the US government-were published, to meet with his counterpart USTR Greer in Paris and to raise Australia's views on the matter again. Senator CANAVAN: In between 12 March and yesterday, was there any attempt from Minister Farrell to reach out to communicate these concerns with Mr Greer directly? Mr Mina: We will check and come back to you on that point. The formal route, of course, was the consultations process, in which we participated fully, and of course there was strong engagement from the trade minister.