Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

I want to briefly outline my position on the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Amendment Bill 2017. I will support the passage of this legislation through the House, but I want to put on the record that I and my Centre Alliance colleagues have significant concerns with some of the measures included in this bill.

Of particular concern is the measure to change acceptable tolerance limits in relation to cargo or passengers to be carried on a vessel under a temporary licence. We've been advised by stakeholders that changes to the volume tolerance from plus or minus 20 per cent to plus 200 per cent and minus 100 per cent, as well as the push to increase loading date tolerances from five days to 30 days, would have a detrimental impact on the coastal shipping sector. This measure would further deregulate the coastal shipping industry and make it almost impossible for an Australian flagged vessel to contest work because the operator would never know the actual volume or the precise loading date. I will continue to examine these measures with my Centre Alliance colleagues before settling on a final position.

I'm also concerned about the streamlining process that will apply to temporary licences. Under the government's plan, the new process will mean that the time available to an Australian flagged vessel to apply for a new voyage would be halved from two days to 24 hours. This will make it much more difficult for Australian vessels to compete for work.

I also want to flag our party's concern in relation to the government's move to open the coastal trading regime to chartered recreational vessels. I'm not sure that it is entirely appropriate for legislation which is meant to regulate the economic circumstances of Australia's domestic coastal trading industry to be extended to provide for recreational vessels. I and my Centre Alliance colleagues reserve our position on this aspect of the bill.

In conclusion, I support the passage of this bill through this House but make it clear to the government that I and my Centre Alliance colleagues are not happy with the bill as it currently stands. We will continue to examine the impact this legislation will have on Australian shipping and Australian jobs before coming to our decision, should the bill progress to the Senate.

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