John Cobb (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

and even in Western Australia, as the member for Forrest quite rightly points out. There is a very important industry there and a very tight and efficient one. I think that the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry may not actually want the portfolio of agriculture, but the fact that he has it means that he has a duty, not just to this government but to the agricultural industry, to look at its policy and needs, to defend it where necessary and to take up the cudgel when other sectors of the government might take actions which reflect badly on it.

As I said, all of agriculture in Australia is efficient and tough. The dairy industry has been through tougher times than some; I hope it does not strike them again. I hope trading schemes do not bring it to its knees. I do not think it will be brought to its knees, because it is a very efficient, very good industry. It has become one of the bright spots in Australian agricultural trade, along with others.

I will repeat what I said: the minister does not represent the government in this case; once you become the minister for agriculture you are representing agriculture, whatever your opinions on global warming are. It is not as reported. I realise very well there are changes in temperature. It is the decisions that are drawn from that information and what we do with that information that I question from time to time, and with very good reason. Agriculture is one of those industries that at this point in time pretty much cannot escape being a negative when it comes to carbon. The dairy and grazing industries in particular cannot escape it. But they deserve a minister who will go out to fight for them. They deserve a minister who will do his best to understand them and meet with them whenever they need to see him. There is no older industry in Australia than agriculture. And around the world I do not think there is a better one, either—be it dairy or anything else.

We support the bill. We appreciate the fact that the minister, it would seem, is doing his best to end it so that there is not an overflow of income being taken from consumers. One of the issues that the industry was very strong about in 2000, when the package was first introduced, was that if any money were left over it should be returned to the industry. I hope that what is being done with the bill means there will be very little left over. As I said earlier, before the minister arrived, I think the big issue for him, his government, the industry and us is that we see the price of milk come down by 11c.

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