Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative ‘hopeful’ Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China lifts sanctions

Australia’s biggest lobster exporter is hopeful something will come out of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China, but says the pathway back to market is still unclear. Australia is calling for trade sanctions on lobster and meat to be lifted following Mr Albanese’s four-day visit to China — the first visit by an Australian leader in seven years, with the Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative hoping to see positive outcomes for the crayfish industry. The Federal Government and the nation’s agriculture industry are eyeing trade sanctions on wine, red meat and lobster after tariffs were lifted on barley, coal, cotton and timber. A Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative spokesperson said while the signs were encouraging, the pathway back to the market was still unclear. “We are hopeful of some positive outcomes from the Prime Minister and trade minister’s visit. This has been the most positive development to date,” the spokesperson said. Mr Albanese last month announced Australia would suspend its World Trade Organisation dispute while Beijing undertakes an “expedited review” of duties on wine exports worth $1.2 billion, with lobster and beef exports the last remaining trade issues to be overcome. Already $18 billion of the $20b sanctions imposed by Beijing have been lifted, with another $1b to come if wine tariffs are lifted.