Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Obviously the member for Corangamite is passionate about her commuters and passionate about her farmers and the opportunities for their future. I know you have a few dairy farmers down there, as I do, and you are passionate about their opportunities under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. But I suppose the commuters are the ones who will benefit greatly from this bill and the bills associated with it. It is very pleasing to see that the member for Corangamite is prepared to fight for the issues that are important to her electorate.

So it is a pleasure to follow the member for Corangamite in speaking on the most important Omnibus Repeal Day (Autumn 2015) Bill 2015 and cognate bills. What we as a government are trying to do is make it easier to do business and create jobs in Australia. It is as simple as that. If there is less regulation rather than more regulation—although, we are a peculiar lot in Victoria because we actually like planning regulation quite a lot. We like to actually go through the process of having important red tape in place to protect what we have in the built environment and what we will have in the future in the built environment. We do not mind if it takes a little bit longer to get it done, as long as it is done well.

That will be the same for the rail service towards Waurn Ponds, in the seat of Corangamite. If that can be achieved by the member for Corangamite she will have achieved a great lot in the early part of what I hope will be a long career for her.

In this bill we are attempting to unshackle Australian businesses, or send a message to unshackle them, so that they can innovate and grow, as the member for Corangamite mentioned, and, most important to me, it will give them the opportunity to create more jobs for young people, which means that we are able to protect our older Australians, our very young Australians and our most vulnerable Australians. If you do not have a strong economy you cannot do any of those things. Not since the Howard government have we had that sort of economy.

But this is about red tape. I want to bring to the parliament's notice a direct example of what we are up against here as far as government red tape goes, and the need to address particular issues. I just happen to have a copy of a letter sent to me by Mary Aldred, Chief Executive Officer of the Committee for Gippsland. It says:

The Committee for Gippsland welcomes the Federal Government's efforts to reduce unnecessary and costly regulation and red tape. In fact today marks the Government's third Red Tape Repeal Day since October 2014. The commitment to reduce the cost of red tape by a net $1 billion each year is to be commended. While appreciating the need for necessary compliance and regulatory requirements, the duplication and inconsistent application of red tape costs businesses in your electorate.

The Committee for Gippsland wishes to raise to your attention one example of unfair, and unnecessary red tape. RubberTough Industries in Warragul is an importer and exporter of rubber products and materials.

This is a very innovative company.

Unfairly, they are compelled to pay a fee of $125 for 'tailgate examination' when bringing goods in through the Port of Melbourne. Over multiple container loads throughout the year, this fee can run into the thousands of dollars for a business like RubberTough—

which works out of Warragul—

reducing competition between city and country businesses.

For those who are listening, my electorate is 95 per cent geographically rural.

Taking goods past Dandenong is considered to be taking them to a 'country area' by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

That was right 50 years ago; it is no longer right today because the South Gippsland Highway and the Princes Highway used to start at Dandenong, and that was considered Gippsland. Of course, it is not now. You are out at Pakenham before you see West Gippsland now.

The fee imposed is supposed to cover an AQUIS inspection, intended to prevent any pests being brought in to country areas where biosecurity protection of agricultural land is important. A copy of an invoice imposing this fee is attached.

The letter goes on:

In effect, this creates a two-tied system where importers gain an unfair advantage if they are not in a designated country area, against those who are. Furthermore, importers in country areas can in theory pay around $600 to put their products on a flat bed truck at Dandenong, and then truck them to a country area, without paying the tailgate fee, and therefore voiding any intended biosecurity protections.

In addition, many businesses like RubberTough are based in industrial zones, and their transport doesn't drive past any farms. This measure also doesn't take into account that containers should be properly inspected when docked at port, regardless of their destination after that.

This compliance fee is unfair, and discriminates against businesses in country areas. In reality, it doesn't provide any better biosecurity protections, and is costing businesses for no gain.

We urge the Federal Government to actively consider removing this costly and unnecessary example of excessive red tape.

Yours sincerely

Mary Aldred

Chief Executive Officer

I raise this letter with you because it has a direct effect on doing business in my electorate for a very innovative company, RubberTough, who have done amazing things and have amazing creations, with amazing opportunities for local sales and export sales. As a government and as a nation, we need to be supporting those innovative businesses that are doing wonderful work right across their part of the world and in the industries that they have made so important.

I commend this bill to the parliament. It is about cutting red tape, smaller government, saving businesses money and budget savings. We as a government are continuing to repeal outdated and unnecessary legislation and policies, which will mean that time and effort spent by businesses will be far better generated, meaning the jobs, opportunities and profits, of course, that go to making this country great. I thank the House.

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