March 20, 2025
A future Coalition Government would legislate to tax containers imported into Australia, Nationals Leader and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud announced on Thursday.
The funds collected from the “Import Container Levy” would be used to enhance Australia’s biosecurity measures.
The container levy is the Coalition’s answer to the now-scrapped Biosecurity Protection Levy put forward by the current Federal Government.
The Nationals had labelled this levy, which would have been paid by producers, as a “fresh food tax”.
Mr Littleproud announced the container levy – which he described as “game-changing” – at the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association conference.
“The Coalition will introduce an Import Container Levy by Sea and Air, making those who are responsible for creating biosecurity risks pay for it, rather than taxing our own farmers,” Mr Littleproud said.
The new levy has been promised despite speculation during the past week that the United States could be considering tariffs on Australian beef exports.
The USA has also threatened reciprocal tariffs from April 2 on countries which impose anything that Washington considers a “trade barrier” to American exports.
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