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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Senate submission by Mr Bill Milby of North Star Cruises in Western Australia, which states that a senior infrastructure department official told him the company should:

… consider taking our ship ‘True North’ off the Australian Shipping Register, re register the ship in a suitable foreign country, lay off our Australian crew and hire a cheaper foreign crew.

How can Australians possibly trust this Prime Minister and this government with jobs?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am aware of the allegations that have been made, which I understand will also be further explored by the member's colleagues in the Senate later tonight. I have spoken to the secretary of my department, who has assured me that the comments attributed to a senior member of the staff of the department are inaccurate—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will cease interjecting.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and do not reflect accurately the words of the conversation entered into by the staff member concerned. It is also important to note that, if the advice was given, it would in fact be inaccurate, because it is not possible under the proposed legislation before the parliament for an Australian cruise ship to have foreign crew and operate on the Australian coast for 12 months of the year. That is simply not possible. That is not accurate.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler will cease interjecting.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So since the reported advice is not even in keeping with the content of the act, that tends to support the suggestion by the secretary of my department that the evidence or the reporting of the alleged conversation is not accurate.

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

To assist the minister, I seek leave to table the submission from North Star Cruises Australia.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a public document already.