Gavan O'Connor (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Deputy Prime Minister from coming into this place and providing a full and proper explanation as to why the Nationals:

(1)

deceived Australian fruit and vegetable growers in the lead up to the last federal election by promising them a re-elected Coalition Government would introduce a mandatory code of conduct for the horticulture industry;

(2)

falsely promised the horticulture industry that such a code would give producers a fair deal on their terms of trade and on resolving disputes with produce buyers;

(3)

falsely promised that the mandatory code would apply to large supermarket chains;

(4)

falsely promised that a mandatory code would be introduced within 100 days of the 2004 election;

(5)

falsely promised that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission would be given the power to enforce the mandatory code;

(6)

allowed the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to mislead this place on 10 November 2005 by stating that the Government would honour its election commitment to introduce a mandatory code for the horticulture industry;

(7)

wasted taxpayers’ money by engaging consultants to develop the framework for a mandatory code it had no intention of implementing; and

(8)

has completely abandoned fruit and vegetable growers by allowing the Prime Minister to transfer responsibility for addressing the needs of these hard working Australians from the Nationals to a Liberal Minister.

The minister must come into this House and explain why they have broken this promise—

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