Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the largest sheep meat exporters in this country, Roger Fletcher, has this morning again hit out at the bottleneck that is the port stand-off, particularly at Botany in Sydney. He is annoyed by the situation between Patrick Corporation and the Maritime Union of Australia, which is holding up exports with disappointing and unnecessary delays. This needs to be sorted, and soon. Mr Fletcher sends up to 600 20-foot equivalent units of chilled sheep meat overseas a week—at least, that's what he'd like to be able to do. However, as he says, that and so much else is being waylaid by the actions of a tiny group of people. This must end. 'It is just so frustrating,' Mr Fletcher said. He fears industry will not 'be game' to do chilled meat anymore because of the risks associated with the port activities or lack thereof. Here is someone who employs across his network as many as 1,300 people. He's being thwarted in his endeavours to grow his business and hire more people.

He even runs his own trains, such is his commitment to logistics and the supply chain. His Dubbo operations process 8,000 sheep a day, Monday to Friday. He has the capacity to kill 2,000 more per day if there was labour available and the port problems were resolved. Ultimately the biggest losers in all this are the farmers. Sheep producers have endured drought and so much more, and they do not need this. I've taken this up with the member for New England in his capacity as the minister for transport, as well as with the opposition leader. Let's get it resolved.

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

In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.