Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

You are gobbling up my time, Mr Speaker, but it has allowed me to recover from the devastating blow from the member for Menzies. I will get back to the palm oil bill. Here are the risks associated with the palm oil bill: Malaysia and Indonesia have indicated that they will take a dispute against Australia to the World Trade Organisation if the parliament proceeds with the palm oil bill. If we lost that dispute we would again be exposed to retaliatory action just as we were with the bill that dare not speak its name, the apples bill. It is not just retaliation that we need to worry about. These are the estimates of the adverse impact on Australian businesses of the labelling requirements of the palm oil bill—$150 million.

Here is the opposition leader who feigns concern about business, we have the shadow minister over here feigning concern about small businesses, but they are happy to apply a $150 million penalty to Australian businesses. Why? Here is the mystery: the coalition members of the Senate committee indicated that they would oppose the bill, that the bill should be opposed.

See this speech in context