Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

For centuries in Vietnam—thank you, Senator Williams. I've got to say, in the same period that there were 350,000 complaints of welfare issues around domestic animals, there were 145 ESCAS regulatory complaints—millions of cattle, handled for tens of millions of hours from when they come off the properties and get into the export system, and there were 145 ESCAS regulatory complaints. I'm going to tell you something. I've got an advantage, Senator Rhiannon—through you, Mr Acting Deputy President. I am a cattleman. I've been a lifelong cattleman, and I will not be lectured by you on the welfare of looking after beef cattle. Most cattlemen—and we've got Senator Williams here, who reputedly takes lambs into the house with him when they're in distress. Is there any truth in that, Senator Williams?

Honourable senators interjecting—

No, no; he's not a Kiwi. He's from Inverell. He's okay. It's just a welfare thing. But, through you, Mr Acting Deputy President, I will tell the chamber: cattlemen and cattlewomen have monstrous respect for these animals.

An honourable senator interjecting—

I don't think you have ever been outside, through you Mr Acting Deputy Chair—I corrected myself. I know that the only kangaroos that the good senator has seen are at Taronga Zoo, and she thinks that's all of them! She thinks that all their brothers, sisters and cousins have gone!

I've got to say to you: you've got no regard for the 167 staff, for example, in the packer industry near Caboolture, who process kangaroo and leather hides; you've got no regard for them. You were actively part of pulling down the industry that exports hides into California, successfully—two years now. That's a company I think will survive. It's third generation—decent men and women. They will survive because they're people of that type. They're not your type of people. But, I'll tell you what: you're making it awfully hard for them. You sit there in your cotton clothes, but you don't want us to disturb one square metre of earth—