FOR RES EMAB. ARGO: Not to be puiblished
FORPRSS2 4JAN 1966 or broadcast before 4 p. m. on
Friday, 5th January, 1968.
TARIFF CHANGES ON TEXTILES AND SOUYD RECORDERS AND REPRODUCERS
( Statement by the Prime Minister and Minister for Trade
and Industry, Mr. J. Mc~ wen)
The Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry,
Mr. J. McEwen, announced today that the Government has adopted
reports by the Tariff Board on textiles and on sound recorders
and reproducers. Mr. McEwen said the reports on textiles represented the
conclusion of the General Textile Reference made on 5th October,
1960. The reports covered a wide variety of textiles which had not
been included in the earlier interim reports on this reference.
The Government had adopted the Tariff Board's recommendations
subject to some minor variations which were necessary to
comply with Australia's international commitments. On felts for
paper making machines, for example, increased duties recommended
by the Board would not be brought into effect until current
international tuariff negotiations have been. completed.
The Prime Minister stated that the new duties would
simplify areas of the Tariff which had not been reviewed in recent
years. Some of the more important changes were consolidation of
the duties of fabrics coated with P. V. C. and cellulose derivatives
at the levels of the combined present ordinary and temporary duties;
increased duties on certain monofil and strip of synthetic resin;
increased duties on certain elastic and elastomeric fabrics. Reduced
duties would apply to a wide range of the textiles covered by the
report. The present quantitative restrictions on imports of twine,
cordage and rope of polyethylene would be continued until 31st
December, 1968, and would be extended to cover similar products made
from polypropylene. Mr. McEwen also announced that the Government had adopted
the Tariff Board's recommendations on sound recorders and repr-oducers.
Duties of 45% ( General) and 32421 ( Preferential) would apply to most
recorders and reproducers of the types made locally. The present
duties on tape recorders will not be varied but the general rate
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of duty on record players will be reduced from the present level
of 60% ad valorem. Other changes include reduction of the duties
on gramophone records to 7o ( General) Free ( Preferential) and
increased protection for certain grades of magnetic tape.
Mr. McEwen added that details of the new duties,
which would apply after the close of business today, had been
published in the Commonwealth Gazette. Copies of the Tariff
Board's reports and the duty changes are available from Collectors
of Customs in all States and from the Office of Secondary Industry,
Department of Trade and Industry, Canberra.
Canberra, A. C. T. 1/ 68T
January, 1968.