Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence, Mr Speaker, and my apologies to the House for being late. The Americans, it will be recalled, introduced immediately very serious subsidisation measures on the two occasions that the steel industry has been threatened. When their aluminium industry was threatened, they immediately moved for an international agreement on aluminium. This is done through the WTO. A lot of people in this place do not even remotely understand the WTO document. The WTO document has a specific provision that when an industry is under threat by an action, as the banana industry is in Australia at the present moment, then the government is entitled to take emergency measures to rescue or help that industry whether by subsidies, tariffs, or quotas—whatever action the government needs to take. In relation to AQIS and whatever they name the biosecurity arm—I am sure they will be changing the name again shortly because of its unpopularity—the government has an onus to disclose to the Australian people what is going to be the downside of that AQIS decision.

There is no question in this case that, if one box of bananas crosses the coast into Australia, then the jobs of 6,000 people who are employed in that industry will vanish within two years. Bananas in Australia are a very high-labour-input item, whereas the wages paid in the Philippines are $4.02 a day. I do not think we are going to be able to compete against bananas produced by people who work for $4.02 a day.

AQIS must be the gang that cannot shoot straight. I have said in the House that, if you are just going to say yes to every application, could we please have the Kuridala CWA?

Honourable Member:

Honourable member interjecting—

Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Somebody said Kuridala does not exist anymore. Yes, it does not exist anymore. The Kuridala CWA ladies could put in a bid to do the biosecurity contract for next year, because if all you are ever going to do is say yes we could have a flock of galahs doing it.

There is citrus canker, which cost the state of Queensland and other parts of Australia nearly $100 million; the papaya fruit fly outbreak, which cost $120 million; the black sigatoka banana disease, which cost us over $100 million; and swine flu, which people everywhere are suffering. All of these diseases come in. This legislation is asking for a document that says to the Australian people what the ramifications of this decision are, so the government will then know what action they can, should and must take, in my opinion. I might add that, in the case of bananas, the pineapple industry will vanish and the backpacker industry in Far North Queensland, upon which our great tourism industry in Far North Queensland is based, will vanish as well. That will be 10,000 jobs. Mr Acting Speaker, we are allowed to introduce specific tariffs if the necessity arises.

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

Order! The time allotted for this debate has expired. The member for Kennedy has inadvertently described me as the Acting Speaker. I have not taken that as a reflection upon my carriage of duties.

Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry.

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

The bill has been read a first time and, in accordance with standing order 41, the second reading will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.