Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think some mad cow disease has crept into the House. My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Will the minister inform the House of the importance of live animal export to Australian agriculture and the national economy?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was it? We won't understand the question or the answer!

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler is warned.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome the question from the member for Flynn because the member for Flynn would know a lot about the cattle industry. From the Fitzroy basin, in his 133,000 square kilometre seat, come around 2.4 million head of cattle. It is not just his seat that benefits from the live cattle trade; it is a whole range of seats, as I am happy to explain to him.

Since we have been in government we have moved about $1.1 billion worth of live animals and about 2 million head of live sheep. This is real money that goes back through the farm gate to increase the lives and the welfare of people who live on the land. Even in Darwin this week, it is about 195c per kilogram for 270-350 kilogram feet-on steers. I know that the member for Solomon and the member for Lingiari should be very interested in this. I also note it is about $1.75 per kilogram for live cattle in Townsville. This would be very interesting for the member for Dawson and the member for Herbert. We note that the pressure this has put on cattle prices, forcing them up, has brought about a 30c per kilogram increase in South East Queensland, which is about another $100 a head—which I know the member for Wright will be very interested in. We have seen that even grown steers and bullocks have gone up 20c per kilogram today in Toowoomba which I know the member for Groom will be very interested in.

All in all we see that through Darwin, since we have been in government, there has been an approximately 50 per cent increase in numbers through Darwin; a 4,696 per cent increase in numbers through Townsville; a 33 per cent increase in numbers through Fremantle; a 36 per cent increase in numbers through Portland; a 56 per cent increase in numbers through Broome; a 41 per cent increase in numbers through the port of Adelaide—and they do not get much support from that seat; a 133 per cent increase through Wyndham; and 195 per cent through Geraldton. These are the numbers that our government is putting on the table. These are the numbers, and we are improving them.

Opposition Member:

An opposition member interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hunter.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If you just want to go through the actual cattle for the markets, there was a 59 per cent increase in sales to China; 130 per cent increase in sales to Indonesia; 119 per cent increase in sales to Kazakhstan; a 44 per cent increase in sales to Malaysia; and a 1,518 per cent increase in sales to the UAE. In sheep, our sales to China have increased by 12,770 per cent. These are the numbers that you put on the table when you are here to do business. These are the numbers that you put on the table when a government is here to do business and that is why you get letters like this:

Dear Barney, I am writing to you to let you know how successful your efforts have been with regards to the live sheep trade. Last year we sold 1,144 five-year-old wethers for an average of $47. This year they have gone up to over $111 a head.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wakefield and the member for Moreton will desist!

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is because we do the business and we make a difference.