Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I wish to make a contribution to this debate. But before I do I would like every single person in Australia to hear what I have to say. It should be of no surprise, because it is on my declaration of interests. We have a responsibility to report each time that we receive accommodation or gifts or travel or hospitality or whatever it may be.

I have been lucky enough to be the longstanding chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport—firstly of the legislation committee, while we were in government, and of the references committee, while we were in opposition. I have had 11 years on the committees, 8½ of those chairing, and I use every opportunity to increase my field of knowledge re agriculture. And one of the greatest opportunities that I have had, as chair of the Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport, is to see for myself and meet with those engaged in agriculture, particularly in our largest trading areas. I have done that through Malaysia. I have touched on it in Vietnam. I have done it in the EU. I have had the pleasure of doing it in Indonesia, and also in China. And therefore, as my register of interests clearly shows, I have participated in two trips to China. And those two trips to China were funded—one, by the Yuhu group, which is no stranger in this building, particularly on that side of the chamber because of massive donations, and on this side of the chamber, because we have also received donations from Yuhu. That is all above board and all listed.

I will go on to talk about and reiterate some of the conversations of yesterday—and I was in your position yesterday, Mr Acting Deputy President Marshall—when Senator Bernardi went on the attack on Senator Dastyari. I want to add to the conversation.

There is nothing illegal with members of parliament going on funded trips around the world, to wherever it may be—but declaring it, so there is no chance of secretive deals, or favours, or whatever it may be. The sad part is: the majority of decent, hardworking Australians just cannot stomach the thought of politicians spending their money on trips. It is true. I do not argue; I think the same thing. So the trips I went on to China were not taxpayer-funded. But I tell you what: we visited western China and we had a fantastic insight into agriculture.

I also have, on two occasions, visited the premises of Huawei. Now, don't hang me on this, for crying out loud: I cannot remember if it was Shanghai—no, it was not Shanghai; I think Shenzhen was one, and maybe Beijing. But, anyway, the photographs are there. I proudly said, 'I'm here; I'm at Huawei.' Why wouldn't I? They are a massive contributor to Australia's telecommunications. And this is just from a floppy backside backbencher, but I tell you what: I am open to talk to anyone. I am the first one to come back from China, and you ask my blackfella mates in the Kimberley and they will tell you I will annoy the living daylights out of them, particularly when I have the ability to visit the Port of Huizhou in the province of Guangdong, because they have built a live export facility. Millions and millions of dollars has been put into this live export facility because they want to import Australia's cattle. We visited when it was just a slab, but they are also building 500 metres from the port where the cattle can come off—I would rather have boxed meat anyway because it is Australian jobs and it is less cruel, but, unfortunately, live export is part of our economy. That is it. We cannot get away from that. But they walk the cattle down. The whole idea is for biosecurity reasons. They can take them straight to the abattoir where they will be processed.

So my first response on them doing that is, 'How can I get back to the Kimberley, to the best part of Australia?' Actually, the west is the best, but the Kimberley is the crown in the jewel. 'And how can I, who has worked closely with Kimberley Aboriginal Pastoralists Association, with the 22 Aboriginal owned properties in the Kimberley, facilitate some opportunity for Australian Aboriginal owned stations to have access to conversations about how they can be part of the trade deal with meat to China?' I say that straight up front. I have annoyed the living daylights out of my Aboriginal mates doing that and I will continue to do that too.

But the conversations that we are hearing in this chamber today—there is an old adage that we all learnt when we came in here, when we were first met by those diligent protectors of the Senate and the Australian Labor Party, Senators Faulkner and Ray, and it was very clear. If you can live with whatever decision you make or wherever you go or whoever you meet being on the front page of The Tele or—what is the Melbourne paper? Hey, what is your Melbourne paper?