Surplus Steel Threatens Australian Industry
The Australian Steel Institute (ASI) urged the Productivity Commission (PC) to implement a tariff rate quota on imported fabricated steelwork to protect the domestic industry. This request was formally presented during the Safeguard hearing on May 13 in Melbourne.
The ASI reported an influx of low-cost fabricated steelwork that threatens the future of Australia’s fabricated structural steel market. Mark Cain, chief executive of the ASI, highlighted the need for provisional and substantive measures to address this surge.
Approximately 350 fabricator members make up the Australian fabricated structural steel industry, providing jobs for over 20,000 people. The ASI noted that imports of fabricated structural steel (FSS) into Australia have significantly increased between 2022 and 2024.
Nations such as the United States, European Union, and Canada have already enacted trade protections to shield their industries from similar threats. Meanwhile, Australia remains vulnerable to international surplus and subsidised imports.
Impact on Domestic Capacity
The ASI underscored the significance of the fabricated structural steel industry in supporting Australia’s infrastructure and critical sectors like defence and transport. Cain warned that without protective measures, the industry could suffer irreparable damage, leading to a loss of skilled capabilities and capital investment.
In November 2025, the ASI emphasised the importance of the industry in ensuring sovereign capacity and supply chain resilience. The submission also included economic modelling on the public interest and effects of a proposed tariff rate quota (TRQ).
Cain remarked, “Imposition of a safeguard measure is firmly in the public interest,” citing the global redirection of trade flows and subsidy-driven overcapacity as factors threatening the Australian market.
Seeking immediate relief for the industry, the ASI advocates for an urgent provisional tariff and quota while the PC conducts its analysis. The PC is expected to deliver its final ruling on the matter later this year.
Last updated: 29 June 2026, 12:10 pm
