Media release

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

August 25, 1999

Cairns Group Ministerial Meeting in Argentina

Trade Minister, Mr Mark Vaile, today said he would chair the 19th annual Cairns Group meeting of agricultural fair traders in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 27-29.

"The Cairns Group meeting will be vital to the ongoing fight against unfair export subsidy and agricultural support programs that corrupt world markets and work against Australia's export interests," Mr Vaile said.

The Buenos Aires meeting comes at a crucial time, only three months before the World Trade Organisation Ministerial meeting in Seattle in November where Australia is confident that a new WTO round will be launched. At the Buenos Aires meeting, Cairns Group Ministers will agree on a group strategy in the lead up to Seattle.

"We need to send a clear message to Europe, the US and Japan that trade in agriculture must be on an equal footing with other trade sectors. I expect the new round of negotiations to deliver substantial cuts in government support and protection. It is simply unacceptable that in 1998, subsidies to OECD agricultural producers totalled some $US362 billion," Mr Vaile said.

Mr Vaile said US Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, would be attending the Buenos Aires Ministerial meeting as a special guest.

"I'll be firmly registering with Mr Glickman the inconsistency of the decision on lamb and the huge $US7 billion aid package to US farmers being considered in Congress. The US Administration must show leadership if it wants genuine trade reform."

Mr Vaile welcomed the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) participation in a parallel Cairns Group farm leaders' meeting in Argentina, adding that the outcome of the farm leaders' meeting would be a key input into the thinking of Cairns Group Ministers.

Mr Vaile said he would also briefly visit Brazil, Peru and Uruguay after Buenos Aires.

"South America is a growing market for our exports …growing by an average 6.7% per cent over the past five years and investment totalling $5 billion. As part of the visit I'll be opening the Australian Consulate General in Lima, Peru, reflecting the potential for more trade and investment, particularly now Peru is a member of APEC.

** The Cairns Group comprises Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Uruguay.