Mr. Joe Burke:

The UK-Australia and the UK-New Zealand trade deals came into force at midnight on 31 May this year, having been signed a year and a half ago and a year ago, respectively. Those trade deals will result in Australia and New Zealand obtaining tariff-free access to the UK via tariff rate quotas for lamb, beef and dairy. The volumes will increase gradually, over a ten- or 15-year period for beef and lamb and over a five-year period for dairy, eventually resulting in the complete liberalisation or removal of tariffs. The import levels into the UK will increase over that time. We know, historically, that the EU had tariff rate quotas and free access to a certain amount of New Zealand lamb already. The deal opens up opportunities for higher volumes of Australian product as well. As the Senator mentioned, it will lead to a more competitive UK market. Obviously, Irish lamb does not tend to be diverted in large quantities into the UK. It is mainly a market for our mutton and some manufacturing lamb product.