Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That general business notice of motion no. 2 standing in my name for today, relating to the Disallowance of the Export Control (Fees) Amendment Orders 2009 (No. 1), be postponed until 20 August.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

The opposition obviously have some considerable concerns with this process. We have received a number of representations from the agricultural sector with respect to the proposals put forward by the government. I am pleased to say, though, that we have been able to have some productive discussions with the government in the last couple of days, as I understand others have too. We have reached some agreements with respect to where this matter lies, but the purpose in postponing this motion is, in a sense, to keep the government on notice that we maintain a watching brief with respect to this matter. We will be seeking to keep the government to certain assurances that have been given to us and others. Over the winter break we will certainly be scrutinising the progress of the proposed reform program that the government has put forward. It may be that we have to come back to this matter again in August, which is the purpose for postponing the motion. But we do acknowledge that it has been possible to have some fruitful discussions with the government overnight so that we can, at this point in time, postpone this motion.

Question agreed to.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I just wanted to say in relation to this matter of the AQIS fees and charges that the Greens had real concerns, as did many people in this chamber right across the parties, about the impact that a 40 per cent increase in fees would have on the rural sector, particularly at this time when many of those export industries are already struggling because of the drought and various other matters. But the concern was that disallowing all of these regulations would impact across all sectors. That of course means that the meat, grains, dairy, fish and live export sectors would all be affected as well as horticulture. I had representations from all those sectors saying that they had signed an agreement with the government to proceed with the reform agenda and that if we disallowed all of the regulations it would affect everybody. So I worked with the minister to reach an arrangement whereby half of horticulture’s $2½ million share of the $40 million reform package would be spent on rebates over 12 months to take into account the seasonal nature and also an agreement to have a work plan in place with timetables by 1 August. I have postponed until 20 August, so that there is the opportunity to revisit it, but I do not expect that will have to be the case if the minister delivers on this agreement. I seek leave in this context to table a letter of the commitments I have from the minister. I have circulated this to the whips.

Leave granted.