Bob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1) notes that currently the Australian agricultural sector is experiencing critical workforce shortages and that impact of the removal of the '88 day farm work clause for backpackers' is significant, and without this requirement there will be little, if any, incentive for backpackers to come, let alone stay, working in regional communities for the length of time needed for their training to be a viable option for farmers;

(2) notes that this legislation has failed to explain or adequately address the significant impacts to regional economies as a result of this clause being removed, setting a dangerous precedence for similar trade agreements in the future; and

(3) calls on the government to:

(a) provide evidence that the United Kingdom has requested this clause be omitted and provide evidence supporting the concerns regarding the backpacker on-farm workforce;

(b) ensure a proper and thorough analysis is undertaken into the financial impacts to farmers and regional tourism economies as result of this clause being removed; and

(c) deploy a highly specific advertising program in all major metropolitan centres focused on attracting backpackers to work on farms in regional areas".

I want to answer the statements in moving the second amendment, which is very similar to the first amendment. I want to make the point to the minister that we are bringing these people in from a lot of countries that are very, very different to Australia. We already have a lot of them coming in and we're having enormous difficulties. It's just not as simple as bringing people in. When you bring them in from Japan or the United Kingdom or a lot of European countries they are at home, they are comfortable and the people are comfortable with them, but that's not a universal position. The loss of those, we believe, very good people from the United Kingdom is very serious.

I'll quote the person who is probably at the centre of the workers coming in. Mick Nasser owns a very big hotel in North Queensland. He's from a fifth-generation pioneer family from the area. He's very famous as the bloke who took that terrible rugby league player and turned him into the greatest player in Australia. This gentleman is very famous. He has 100 backpackers at his hotel and he's the bloke you ring up when you're short of somebody. He has a very good knowledge of the working situation. He said, 'As a result of this all the workers that we actually want and need and use will now be residing at Bondi Beach in Sydney. They won't even know we exist.' As my colleague, the honourable member from down near the Murray River, has pointed out that is what is going to happen.

I want to continue on some general things that appertain to what is going on here. Tony Abbott, when he was Prime Minister, walked into this place and led the clapping for the China free trade deal. I observed to my colleague from Tasmania, 'He just wrote his own death warrant. He won't be here in six months time.' I didn't notice any enthusiasm from the crossbenches for this wonderful happening. And, of course, it was a joke. They took $39 billion away from us, because we made a comment that they didn't like—$39 billion worth of trade vanished. So much for the value of free trade. But going back to Tony Abbott, in three months he was gone. The bloke was completely out of step with the people of Australia. They don't want this rubbish. You just keep foisting this upon them.

In Sydney they watched the plastic factories go. They watched the glass factories go. They watched Bonds underwear go—5,000 jobs. They have watched job after job go. Sydney has been infinitely worse than country areas. You're saying it will be good for them, but you've had 30 years for it to be good for them. I don't know of any benefits that've flowed. The country is now no longer a mining country. A mining country sells metals. Our country mines it out of the ground. We don't sell metals. We mine it out of the ground and sell the ground; it's called quarrying. We are not even a mining country anymore. We are a quarry country. That's what you've done to us.

I want to conclude on a more general note but it appertains very specifically to this clause. Whatever our shortcomings and differences may be, and they are many, the crossbenches are coming together again to bring forward legislation—the sovereign fuel security, emissions reduction bill—covering transportation fuels in Australia, elimination of CO2 emissions from all transportation. Instead of Australians sending $40 billion a year overseas to buy fuel, $40 billion will now go into the pockets of Australians, generating an extra $30 billion in tax revenue. And, if gas was taxed, as it is in Qatar, or even one-third of the tax in Qatar, then we would have—

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It being 1.30, the debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may be resumed at a later hour.