POPULAR WORDS

The subsidies offered by the United States and other countries, as well as blockages to trade, only reinforce the need for Australia to keep up its reforms to become more efficient, Federal Trade Minister Mark Vaile says. Speaking at the Australian Trucking Association convention in Hobart today, Vaile says the reform process cannot slacken in Australia just because other countries decide to subsidise inefficiency. With the Australian dollar rising in value and trade barriers also rising, Australia, as a small country which cannot afford subsidies and barriers, simply has to continue "playing above our weight". Vaile points out that Australia's exports has grown from A$99 billion to A$154 billion in the last six years because the federal government has made the "tough decisions" on reform and reduced the costs of doing business. He committed the government to continuing the diesel grant program as it was an important factor in reducing input costs in supply chain, for exporters and for the tourist industry.