CANBERRA: (Bernama-Xinhua) The Australian government on Thursday (Aug 28) said that it will cut another 500 "nuisance" tariffs as part of a push to boost productivity and encourage free trade, reported Xinhua.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Trade Minister Don Farrell and Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres on Thursday announced that the small tariffs on items including tyres, wine glasses and televisions will be removed from the start of the next financial year on July 1, 2026, to reduce the compliance burden on businesses.
Chalmers told reporters in Canberra that the nuisance tariffs "often do more than good". He said that current tariffs on tyres raise less than A$80,000 (US$52,109.8) in revenue every year, but that removing them will save businesses more than A$32 million (US$20.8 million) in compliance costs annually.
"We are putting our money where our mouth is," Farrell said, adding, "We want countries to remove trade barriers. We are demonstrating to the rest of the world we are serious about this issue."
The government in 2024 abolished 457 nuisance tariffs on items including certain vegetables, refrigerators, and rubber.
The further cuts were proposed during the government's economic reform roundtable, which brought together business groups, trade unions and economists earlier in August to discuss ideas to stimulate Australia's stagnating economic productivity.
Chalmers said that the treasury will consult on the proposed tariffs to be cut by December and the final agreed list will be published in the next federal budget, which he is expected to hand down in May 2026. - Bernama-Xinhua
