Media release

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

August 26, 1999

Doors Open Wide For Australian Clothing Exports To Malaysia

Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, today announced that Australia's burgeoning fashion industry had a new opportunity to expand exports to Malaysia.

"A new market has opened for Australian clothing exporters with the decision by Malaysia to abolish import duties on a range of ready-made garments with immediate effect," Mr Vaile said.

"The improved market access to Malaysia follows the removal of a range of tariffs on 44 types of clothing. The tariffs that had ranged from five to 25 percent, have now been removed. This provides a real opportunity for exporters," Mr Vaile said.

"These tariff reductions follow on from the elimination earlier this year of Malaysian tariffs on leather goods such as handbags, shoes, luggage, and related accessories," Mr Vaile said.

The tariff reductions apply to clothing items including overcoats, wind cheaters, wind jackets, capes and cloaks, shawls, scarves, mufflers, mantillas and veils, fur coats, silk handkerchiefs, cravats, ties and bow ties.

The Government established a Textiles, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) Market Access Facilitator within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in mid 1998. The Facilitator is actively pursuing the removal of trade barriers faced by Australia's TCF industries.

Mr Vaile urged companies wishing to notify market access barriers for attention by the Department to contact the Facilitator on 02 6261 3465.