Trump administration contradicts Labor by claiming lifting of beef import restrictions a 'major trade breakthrough'

Sky News AU

4 days ago

The Trump administration has claimed victory over the decision to end a de facto ban on US beef imports, contradicting Australian government claims.
The Albanese government has claimed its surprise decision to scrap biosecurity restrictions on US beef imports has nothing to do with trade negotiations, with Trade Minister Don Farrell telling Sky News Australia they were 'separate issues".
But US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins put out a statement on Thursday describing it as a 'major trade breakthrough'.
Headlined 'Make Agriculture Great Again Trade Wins: President Trump Secures Greater Ag Market Access to Australia for American Beef,' Secretary Rollins' statement congratulates the US President for his successful negotiation strategy.
'American farmers and ranchers produce the safest, healthiest beef in the world. It's absurd that non-scientific trade barriers prevented our beef from being sold to consumers in Australia for the last 20 years,' Secretary Rollins said.
'This is yet another example of the kind of market access the President negotiates to bring America into a new golden age of prosperity, with American agriculture leading the way.
'Gone are the days of putting American farmers on the sidelines.'
Australia imposed a blanket ban on US beef imports in 2003 following an outbreak of mad cow disease.
While this was repealed in 2019, biosecurity rules remained in place to ensure beef from third-party countries was not imported to Australia via the US.
But speaking on Thursday morning, Trade Minister Farrell said the government had decided to remove the restrictions on the advice of scientific experts.
'A process that's been going now for about 10 years ... has taken place. It's been a very lengthy review, and the review has found that it is now appropriate for Australia to receive American beef,' Senator Farrell said.
'We apply a very strict test in terms of whether the product is safe to be brought into Australia and that there is no risk to the Australian beef or cattle industry … and all of those tests have now been satisfied by the Department of Agriculture."
'We've got some of the top scientists in the world. We've kept out disease for a very long period of time in Australia. We want to continue keeping it out. But if the Americans are able to satisfy those tests, and that's what they've done, then we're prepared to allow them to import their beef.'
Challenged on the timing of the decision, Mr Farrell insisted it had nothing to do with US trade negotiations or the imposition of tariffs by President Trump.
'This is not a process that's started since the election of President Trump. It goes back a very, very long period of time,' he said
'We don't link biosecurity issues with trade issues. They're separate issues.'
"There's nothing suspicious about this at all'.
National Senate leader Bridget McKenzie expressed scepticism about the timing and called for an independent review of the science.
'The timing is exquisite, that this ongoing process to just arrive with science and a protocol that can lift the ban just in time to meet President Trump's demands,' Senator McKenzie said.
'That's why we want to see an independent review.'
'For us to have peace of mind, we would like an independent review of the science that's being applied with respect to these export protocols that says that beef is safe to come in.