Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Madam Chair, I have a question of the minister in terms of his response to Senator Xenophon about consultation with the horticulture sector. No doubt the minister will be aware that the AIRC is proposing in respect of the wine grape sector to excise coverage of wine grape production from the horticulture award and instead lump it together with the processing, packing and retailing of wine grape in the wine industry award.

When the minister indicates that the government are consulting with the horticulture sector about their concerns about award modernisation, what is he saying about the government’s consultation with the wine grape sector? Are the government consulting with the wine grape sector? If so, who is doing it? With whom are they doing it? When have they been doing it? When will they continue to be doing it? What is the end point? In asking that, I have indications from wine grape producers in South Australia and Western Australia that wine grape production has not been conferred with by the government—for example, Mr Mark Mckenzie, Executive Director of the Wine Grape Growers Australia. Mr Neil Delroy, Managing Director of Agribusiness Research and Management, says he has not heard of any consultation with the industry whatsoever from the Deputy Prime Minister’s office. If the minister could reassure us that consultations have been happening—by whom, with whom, when, how and what—that may be some reassurance for the industry. I look forward to the answer.