The Australian Steel Institute (ASI) has petitioned the Productivity Commission (PC) to implement emergency trade protections for the domestic fabricated structural steel sector. During a hearing on May 13, the ASI requested a 50% tariff rate quota (TRQ) to counter a surge in low-cost imports recorded between 2022 and 2024.

International overcapacity and subsidies in foreign markets have redirected cheap steel toward Australia, especially as the US, EU, and Canada have already established their own trade protections to safeguard the domestic steel industries. ASI Chief Executive Mark Cain said that these imports cause serious injury to local businesses through price undercutting.

The industry group argues that the loss of this 20,000-job sector would destroy essential engineering capabilities and sovereign capacity. Because this highly skilled, bespoke industry is difficult to rebuild if it faces closure, the ASI insists that immediate provisional tariff and quota measures are necessary to prevent irreparable harm before the PC issues its final ruling later this year.