Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

As I stated before, we have talked about the extensive consultation and we have already quoted back the Australian Shipowners submission. We have already got a correction from the minister on an issue, because the proposal was not a clear reflection of the consultation with or the recommendation of the association he quoted. What we are trying to do now is delve into the issue—just to show you how Kafkaesque and ridiculous this is—of an organisation which honestly says they only need three voyages. They are not trying to be spurious or ridiculous; they tell the truth by saying they only need three and so they cannot get a temporary licence. Then a massive wheat crop comes in and they say, 'We have a chance to make some money here. We have a chance to go from that three per cent of shipping into a big shipper.' No-one ever becomes a big shipper without starting as a small shipper. We have to remember that. They say three per cent, but it is a wonder that three per cent exists, when you have something as cumbersome as this. This is probably why there is only three per cent, because you are not allowing people the capacity to grow. You are saying, 'You're a five or you're zero'.

Let us put this on the record. They start in July and they say they only need three. They find out later on they need seven, and if they had put that information in at the start they would have got themselves a temporary licence. But they are stuck in September without a temporary licence. Can they go back and say, 'Look, we said three. We now realise that it is seven. Therefore we need a temporary licence.' Can they get that temporary licence or is it no go and they have to wait for the next period? And when is that next period?