Nick Champion (Wakefield, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. What is the government doing to consult fully on its draft wheat legislation? Why is such consultation required?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Wakefield for his question. I note his interest in having wheat growers in his electorate who are involved both in selling to the domestic market and in selling as exporters. There is a serious danger for wheat growers post 30 June. If the current legislation remains in place, there is serious uncertainty and a disastrous economic mechanism that gets left by the old legislation post 30 June this year. The only way that certainty can be delivered for wheat growers is for us to be given an opposition position—their attitude—on the draft legislation. The problem we have here is that the shadow minister in the other place who is represented here by the Leader of the Nationals has been unwilling to put forward a position on behalf of the coalition. This leaves wheat growers with no level of certainty at all.

I acknowledge the comments from the member for O’Connor in an article by Michelle Grattan in the Age today in which he said he was sure the government will accept technical amendments. Certainly we are serious about having discussions on that. That is the reason why we have put forward an exposure draft. That is the reason why we have an independent expert group that has put out a discussion paper—to make sure that those technical amendments can go through a constructive conversation. I also acknowledge that there was a genuine attempt yesterday by the opposition to try to resolve this issue. They held their joint policy committee meeting. They held what they call the opposition infrastructure rural and regional affairs committee. Senator Heffernan sat there as the chair, but the problem was the Nats did not turn up. They sat there waiting to arrive at a joint position, to have the conversation, and the Nats did not bother to turn up. It reminded me of the comment made by the member for Mallee only today in question time when he said, ‘I do not make a lot of contributions in this place.’ Unfortunately, that is a pattern.

Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Deputy Leader of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, a point of order on relevance: I would ask you to draw the minister back to the question.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has the call.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Normally we have a process where we are able to have a conversation with the shadow minister and know that that represents the opposition position. I do not know if they did not attend the meeting because they were off checking out their Kirribilli conference that they have got planned. Normally we have a process: the Democrats have a spokesperson, so we consult with them; the Greens have a spokesperson, so we consult with them; the opposition has a spokesperson, Senator Scullion, and we consult with him. Unfortunately, the National Party have been unable to put forward a position on behalf of the opposition.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Hockey interjecting

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please! We just have had from the Manager of Opposition Business that Senator Scullion is not even a member of the National Party.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did. I said he is.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But guess what—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume his seat. I call the Manager of Opposition Business on a very quick point of order.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I am very happy to clarify this. I will speak slowly for the minister for agriculture. The Deputy Leader of the National Party is Senator Scullion.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order. The minister will ignore the interjections. The Manager of Opposition Business will not interject—

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Hockey interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and he will withdraw that remark.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: could you bring the minister back to the substance of the question, please?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister is going to the substance of a carefully crafted answer about why it is necessary to have discussions about the draft legislation and the importance of the need to have a position.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Normally we would go to Senator Scullion for the position on behalf of the opposition. Senator Scullion is a member, and runs as a member, of the Country Liberal Party and yet he is the Leader of the Nationals in the other place.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have that point. The minister will return to the point.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Without the capacity to negotiate directly, I have written today to every member of the opposition in both houses and offered them all individual briefings. We cannot deal with one person to provide a position on behalf of the opposition so that we can say to wheat growers that there is certainty for the new crop. We cannot provide that until the opposition declares a position. If the only way we can go forward is to allow public servants to provide confidential briefings—and we will not release who accepts them and who does not—for every member of the coalition, then that is available and we will go forward with that. The Leader of the Opposition could fix this now by standing up and declaring that the Liberal Party, at least, will take a sensible economic decision—what they know is a responsible, competitive position—and give wheat growers certainty. If the National Party is not willing to do it, some leadership should be offered and there is one person who can offer it.