Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. The major problem we have with this motion is the word 'ensures' which indicates that these free trade agreements, which we are signing up with in our region at a rapid rate, are somehow going to ensure the prosperity of our beef industry. I have in my hands a chart, a piece of paper that I would be quite happy to table, of how our six-monthly exports have fallen to the lowest level in five years since we signed the Korean deal, since we were told it was going to be good for our agricultural exporters and since we were told it would be urgently needed to pass through JSCOT and this parliament. It is absolute rubbish, Senator Williams. These things have always been oversold and have always under delivered. If you want to help the beef industry in this country then get behind the Senate recommendations to fix the grass-fed levy in this country. Senator Joyce, previously, had done absolutely nothing for cattle producers in this country. If you really cared about it your government would do something about it— (Time expired)

Question agreed to.