Dr Webster said officials from Citrus Australia, the Australian Table Grape Association and Dried Fruits Australia met Agriculture Minister David Littleproud on Friday morning.
“That was a very important meeting,” Dr Webster said. “Minister Littleproud assured those industries that we’re working hard to open up new markets and that we’re developing trade relations.
“What the minister is saying is that our relationship with China is challenging.
“The issue we’re focusing on is the diversification of the market, which is easier said than done because it takes some time to develop those markets.”
Dr Webster said Mr Littleproud had written to his counterparts in China seeking trade talks, “but they have not responded yet”.
“What we are saying at a federal level is face-to-face dialogue is the best way to resolve these trade issues, and that is what the minister is working on,” she said.
“So if Beijing says, ‘We want to meet with you this week’, he’ll be on the first plane to China.
“But we’d be foolish to think this is just about trade. Clearly, pain is intended to be inflicted (by the tariffs on wine, barley, lobsters, red meat, cotton and timber).
“One of the things we won’t do, though, is trade our sovereignty. That is not going to happen on our watch.”
Asked if she could do more to help the local wine industry in its hour of need, Dr Webster said: “My job is to facilitate meetings (for stakeholders) with the ministers, to facilitate the direction and answers they’d like to see; the solutions, if you like, that should be considered.
“I have a reputation for being dogged. That is what this role needs, and I’ll continue fighting for, and ensuring every door is open so that we’re finding solutions to the issues that we’re facing.”
