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Media release
Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile
30 April 2001
Palasczuk After Headlines Not Results
The Queensland Labor Government has been typically slow off the mark in its response to resumed shipments of live Australian beef to Korea, while the Federal Government gets on with the job, Federal Trade Minister Mark Vaile said today.
More than a week ago a consignment of 663 live steers arrived safely in the South Korean ports of Pusan and Inchon. The Hanwoo Cattle Farmers Association organised protests outside the offices of the Korean importer objecting to the arrival of the live cattle.
"This week Queensland Labor Minister Henry Palasczuk has decided to get interested, calling for the Federal Government to step in."
"In the meantime I have already had consultations with the Korean Ambassador over the weekend as he visits my electorate of Lyne to meet with Australian beef producers," Mr Vaile said.
"Mr Palasczuk has tried for the quick headline with a typically uninformed comment meant more for the newspapers than achieving anything for Queensland cattle producers."
"A simple phone call to my office or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would have alerted him to the moves already made by the Federal Government to restore access for Australian product to the Korean market"
Live cattle exports to Korea have only recently been resumed after Australia and the United States took Korea to the World Trade Organisation over unfair trading practices and won.
Media reports in Korea indicate the Korean Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries might be planning to introduce a retailing requirement to identify the 'country of birth' of the animals from which beef products are derived.
"We will remain vigilant to identify any further unfair practices, and reserve our right to return to the WTO to object to dubious new measures," Mr Vaile said.
Contact: James Baker on 02 6277 7420
MVT64
Local Date: Thursday, 17-May-2012 16:31:11 EST