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

(Queensland—) (): May I reject the question outright. What has been occurring is that the Minister for Trade, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and I have been working diligently to recommence this trade as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister and I have consistently said that we would not wait one moment, when we did not have to, to recommence the trade. As soon as the industry working group had finalised the draft standards, Indonesia had indicated that it was ready to meet the OIE guidelines, the standards were in place, the export control permits were in place—when all of those had come together late yesterday afternoon, I was not going to wait one moment to let the trade recommence as quickly as it can. Those opposite would want us to delay. Those opposite would want us to continue without starting the trade. I reject their suggestion completely. (Time expired)