15 September 1995
FIRST MEETING OF AUTOMOTIVE TASK FORCE
The first meeting of the Automotive Task Force was co-chaired in Adelaide today by the Minister for Trade, Senator Bob McMullan, and the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Senator Peter Cook.
The Task Force was established as an important element of the Government's response to the US-Japan Auto Agreement.
The Ministers said today the Task Force is another example of Government, industry and unions working together to promote Australia's commercial interests by seeking satisfactory outcomes for Australian industry and workers from the Agreement.
"We are particularly keen to take advantage of the measures in the US-Japan Auto Agreement which are designed to promote exports of automotive components to Japan and other countries," the Ministers said.
A key outcome of today's meeting was the establishment of a comprehensive mechanism to monitor Australia's automotive exports to the US, Japan and related third markets to enable early detection of any discrimination against Australia's exports.
The Ministers said the Task Force will be watching for any aberrations in the patterns of Australia's automotive exports.
Participating in the first meeting of the Task Force were representatives from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, the Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd, and the Arrowcrest Group.
The Task Force will meet next in December 1995.
The Ministers said the three elements of the Government's strategy to respond to the US-Japan Auto Agreement are now in place. They are:
the Task Force
bilateral consultative arrangements with Japan
and bilateral consultative arrangements with the United States.
Further information:
Senator McMullan's office: John Flannery, (06) 277 7420
Senator Cook's office: Russell Faull, (06) 277 7580