Unions say Australia’s industrial anti-dumping authority cannot properly safeguard domestic industries.

The manufacturing division of the CFMEU is calling on the federal government to defend Australian jobs against cheap imports. It believes that the global economic downturn will see oversupplies of steel, paper, alloy, glass, processed food, solar panels and other products.

Authorities can apply to the federal Anti-Dumping Commission to have tariffs enforced on specific products that may damage the domestic industry.

Australia currently has anti-dumping tariffs on imported steel, paper, glass, foodstuffs, electrical equipment, chemicals and aluminium, mostly against China, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines.

CFMEU manufacturing division national secretary Michael O’Connor says Commonwealth funding allocation has fallen each year for the last few years.

“The anti-dumping measures taken so far have actually saved businesses and industries but local manufacturing is particularly susceptible at this time,” Mr O’Connor said. 

“The trade rights of Australian industry need to be enforced by the federal government and it’s an incredibly complex process which needs to be fully funded and resourced.”

Mr O’Connor says Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability is at risk.

The union wants a 35 per cent increase in funding for the Anti-Dumping Commission, which Labor pledged at the 2019 election.