Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

In terms of the proposition before this parliament I say to the member for Kennedy: have a look at what we have done to increase monitoring of REEFVTS and protect the coastal region in North Queensland. When we had shipping reform, we had a committee—the deputy chair is here—that issued a unanimous report in October 2008. In February 2009 I formed an advisory group of industry leaders to help us work out how to implement that report. I followed this up during the 2010 election campaign with shipping policy commitments. On 1 December 2010 I released a discussion paper that proposed important reforms and invited submissions to be provided by the end of January 2011. As you are all aware, in January last year I established three industry reference groups which consulted and provided advice to the government on tax and regulatory and workforce elements—a proper process. We produced an exposure draft of the bill. We had debate on the bill in this parliament—a proper process that engaged industry and unions in full participation.

The joke here is that the members of the opposition, who are attempting to take the Independent members moving this motion today for a ride, say it does not matter, because nothing will actually happen when it goes through the Senate. Nothing will happen anyway, so do not worry; we are just in on this because we have had people knock on our doors and say, 'This is an attack on one union by another union,' and that is all we will engage with. So be it, I say, but do not be used by the opposition for what essentially is another element of their consistent anti-union agenda.

I say to the members opposite that, if this bill did pass, it would result in Australia introducing outdated and inconsistent standards with global shipping, resulting in Australian shipping contravening international training and certification standards and conventions. The national president of the union that is putting this forward would no longer be eligible and certified and would be knocked out of the industry. I say to them as well that how training in this country is done is not in a way that is put in legislation. If you do training in legislation, when technology changes, you cannot change the training. You cannot adapt. This is an industry where technology changes. You cannot enshrine training in legislation. That is not what happens in industries across the board. It does not happen in electricity. It does not happen in plumbing. It does not happen across the sectors. You cannot do that. This is really an extraordinary proposition. It creates the precedence of setting training standards in legislation outside of the national vocational education and training system—outside of the VET system. This is an attack on that whole system, and that is why this bill needs to have proper further consideration—

Mr Katter interjecting—

With due respect to the member for Kennedy, he has had no discussion with me on this legislation—none. And he is seconding this resolution. I know a bit about this industry and I have a proud record in this industry. I understand and respect the position of the member for Kennedy, which is why I say to him: do not proceed with this. Have a sit-down with me and some of the experts— (Time expired)

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