Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Scullion for his question. I do understand that the media are reporting that the owners of a Kimberley station say that they will be forced to cull about 3,000 cattle in the wake of the ban on live exports to Indonesia. Nico Botha from Moola Bulla Station near Halls Creek has indicated that they will start that culling tomorrow. Mr Botha says that there are currently about 25,000 head of cattle on his property and that those are the numbers that need to be reduced.

As soon as I became aware of these claims by Mr Botha, I did the following. My office asked the ABC for the contact details for Mr Botha so that we can see what assistance we can provide to him. I have asked Centrelink, through the Minister for Human Services, to make contact with Mr Botha and, once again, to be provided with contact details from the ABC. My office has also alerted the Cattle Council of Australia to Mr Botha's comments and has asked them to make contact with him to see what assistance is available. And, of course, I will continue to monitor the circumstances.

There are, as I indicated, three types of assistance that have been provided. Firstly, there is a $30 million aid package which provides for payment for hardship through Centrelink. In addition to that, there is assistance through the Cattle Council of Australia for onshore supply issues that may arise of $5 million. In addition to that, there is industry assistance for those who have been made unemployed as a consequence of the suspension. I also indicate that those opposite— (Time expired)