Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the urgency motion before us today, and I'm proud to co-sponsor with Senator Canavan, someone who I know is a big supporter of the Australian beef producers, which are very important for our economy. Like many in this place, I am very passionate about advocating for Australian agriculture. I celebrate the jobs that it creates, the communities that it supports around the country, particularly in regional parts of Australia, and the significant contribution that it makes to our economy nationally.

From the outset, I would like to particularly acknowledge the role of the beef industry in our ag sector. It's my view and the view of many, thankfully, that our country's reputation as a high-quality, safe and sustainable producer of beef is something that all Australians should be very proud of. In fact, we're also clean and well respected around the world, having some of the best agricultural products. We are renowned for what our farmers do to make sure that we can deliver not just for us to consume here but for us to export internationally. That is why we are a global leader. It's for very, very good reasons, as any person who enjoys a steak or sausage on their barbeque would understand.

According to Meat & Livestock Australia, the total value of Australian beef and veal exports amounts to almost $11 billion, with the export trade accounting for approximately 70 per cent of beef production in Australia. In fact, we are one of the largest beef exporting countries in the world, with only Brazil outpacing us for T-bones shipped. You don't get to be that big without a commitment to reaching and maintaining high standards of quality and safety. You also don't get to stay that big without an equally strong commitment to sustainability and sound land management practices.

I am the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Red Meat with my friend Senator McDonald. I know we constantly enjoy hosting these events here at Parliament House to promote the benefits of our cattle producers, red meat and butchers and the fine work that the many men and women in the industry do every single day to feed Australians right across the country. We also educate our parliamentary colleagues, particularly those on the crossbench who failed to understand the benefits that people in this industry actually deliver for many regional communities and communities in metropolitan parts of Melbourne. These jobs are part of the whole supply chain. That always gets ignored and neglected by those on the crossbenches.

But it is important also to make the point that we who constantly go out to regional parts of Australia see firsthand the commitment of these Australians who do the work every single day, as I and many others in this place have seen. It is with pride that I must say that the demand for Australian beef is at a record high. Indicators are that, in the future, it will only continue to grow. This is very, very good news for the thousands of jobs that it supports across regional and rural parts of Australia. In 2021-22, for example, over 430,000 people were employed in Australia's meat and livestock industry. From the direct jobs of our many producers, who wake up at the crack of dawn, to the additional industries like transport, veterinary services and meat processing, the jobs it provides are critical.

The commitment of the industry and the government to sustainability and constant improvement in livestock practices will play an important role in ensuring that we keep our status as a leader in beef production. But I'm concerned at what the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation would mean for our beef producers. I'm concerned about the complexity of the measures and the regulatory burden that it would create, and I know beef producers share this concern, as does the government. Like all governments should be, ours is committed to combating deforestation and reversing net forest loss. Like the EU, we appreciate the importance of our forests and sustainable agricultural practices. This has been mentioned by the former minister Murray Watt when he spoke at beef week in Rockhampton, where he articulated the government's call on the EU to delay the implementation of the regulation.