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

Thank you. I think we are getting somewhere now. The minister has now answered 'Yes'. We all heard that. It is in Hansard; we can all read it. It changes things for that coastal shipping operator who starts their 12-month period only needing three, but gets to a point where they say, 'Hang on, that's changed. We need seven.' I asked the question—I am sure the people in the gallery will remember this—does that mean that they can go back and get a temporary licence in September to deal with the seven? The answer came back, 'Yes, they can'. We are on the record now. That is now the position of the government. The minister must realise that. He has answered the question and the answer is yes. That changes things a bit, doesn't it? This was the position: if, for example, an applicant wanted to add two new voyages to their temporary licence in a 12-month period, they were unable to do so. If no other vessel was available, the goods would have to travel by road or rail or not at all. Now the case has changed. So, we have been very successful in the chamber today, because we have now changed a position of government. Thank you, Minister, for that. I appreciate that. It is a big win. It was not that hard, was it, Ms Findlay? We got there. If that is the government's position, I suppose we should go to a vote.