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

My question is for the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. As all senators understand the need for a sustainable live animal export trade to Indonesia, can the minister please update the Senate with the government's progress to date on this very important matter?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for his questions. I have returned from a visit to Jakarta, where I met with my counterparts, the Indonesian Minister of Agriculture and other Indonesian ministers. I was fortunate to have the opportunity not only to meet with ministers but also to provide them with a draft of standards for the cattle trade to Indonesia. These standards are a practical interpretation of the OIE guidelines. The Australian and Indonesian governments have agreed to use these as a base upon which the live animal export trade will be established and can continue for the longer term. This dialogue was fruitful and there was goodwill on both sides of the relationship.

I have said consistently that the live cattle trade will be able to resume once appropriate safeguards are in place. These safeguards will be able to ensure animal welfare outcomes and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the trade. Following my discussions this week, officials will continue to work with Indonesian officials to finalise the standards before joint verification occurs. I welcome the cooperation of the Indonesian government in this important task. We have made real progress towards reopening the trade and putting the industry on a long-term, sustainable footing but, as I indicated, it is not something that will happen overnight. I am encouraged by the goodwill on both sides to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. This goodwill to achieve a resumption of trade as soon as possible will be vital as we work through the details of the standard and the practical application. It will take a concerted effort from the Indonesian and Australian governments supported by industry, but this is something both countries are committed to working through to achieve an early resumption of the trade as soon as practicable. (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and is also with regard to the live animal export trade to Indonesia. Can the minister inform the Senate of the role that industry has to play in the resumption of trade to Indonesia?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for his first supplementary question. The Senate would be aware that I wrote to Meat and Livestock Australia, asking that industry association to make an initial contribution of $5 million to a contingency fund to deal with short-term impacts in the domestic supply chain. Disappointingly, I received a reply from the MLA stating that the board would not provide those funds. This is a response from the industry body which does not seem to accept their substantial role in relation to the present issue. I wrote to the MLA with a draft direction and met with the representative on Friday to discuss their response. The MLA's response was that no producer required or needed any support. I once again call upon the MLA to make funds available for a contingency fund drawn from their reserves to respond to the current situation. (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister please advise the Senate why sustainable industry is so important and what would put that industry at risk?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for his second supplementary question and his continued interest in that area. A responsible government considers the evidence and advice before it and responds accordingly. On a complex policy matter we are making the tough decisions, but we do so on the basis of fact, advice and consideration. That is what I have done in making the decision to suspend and in establishing safeguards in the Indonesian live cattle trade. This decision will see industry on a stable and sustainable footing into the longer term. This will allow the industry to have the support of the community, the government and its own producers, and this will be fundamental for a sustainable industry over the longer term.

The Liberal-National Party would happily accept the risk when you see the press clippings of cruelty to cattle. They would happily turn a blind eye and not bring reform to the trade or establish safeguards. (Time expired)

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the cattle producers from Northern Australia in the gallery. The question is to Senator Ludwig. The Indonesian June import licence allowing for the shipping of live cattle expires in eight days and will not be renewed by the Indonesian government department until they know you will allow supply to resume and how. Have you told the Indonesian government what requirements and conditions you want to allow the trade to recommence? When can the trade recommence if these conditions are met?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is always a challenge when you do not listen to the question that I just answered previously. If the Senate wants to note, in fact I answered the majority of that question just a minute ago, but I am happy to reiterate it. I had the fortunate opportunity to provide the Indonesian government with a draft set of standards for the cattle trade to Indonesia to recommence. These standards, as I said, are a practical interpretation of the current OIE guidelines. The Australian and Indonesian governments have agreed to use these as a basis upon which the live animal export trade will be established. That will provide information for the Indonesian government, the Australian government and the people who hold the export trade permits to be able to re-establish the trade.

Once that is done, we can ensure that the export licence has the appropriate supply chain assurance attached to it that ensures that, when cattle leave Australia to go to a feedlot in Indonesia and from that feedlot in Indonesia to that slaughterhouse in Indonesia, they can be traced along that line so that there is no leakage out of the system, so we have confidence in the system and so there is independent auditing of the system so we can be assured that animal welfare outcomes are dealt with appropriately through that supply chain. When we get that supply chain assurance program in place, the exporters can use that supply chain assurance program and demonstrate that they can ensure animal welfare outcomes through that supply chain, the trade will recommence. Having had those discussions with Indonesia, already providing them with the draft guidelines, they are now— (Time expired)

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, what conditions and requirements does the Indonesian government want from Australia to reissue the licences to allow the trade to recommence? Could you advise the Senate what they are and, if they are met, when the trade will we commence?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is always a trouble when you read a supplementary question when I have already answered it. This is the third time. I am happy to provide it—

Senator Brandis interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is not a time to debate the issue, Senator Brandis.

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: the minister said what the Australian requirements were. My next question is: what are the Indonesian requirements?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Boswell, there is no point of order.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I outlined firstly and then again a minute ago is that the draft supply chain assurance guidelines at the OIE standards have been provided. I went to Indonesia and provided them to the minister for agriculture for consultation so that the Indonesian government could utilise—

Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order: relevance. In the second part of his question Senator Boswell asked: when will the trade recommence?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. Senator Ludwig, you have 26 seconds remaining.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. These guidelines form the basis for the draft standards which I presented to the Indonesian government for consultation and agreement. The trade to Indonesia will resume—getting to the question of when—once those standards are settled, industry can verify and their supply chains meet the international animal welfare standards. Australia is not seeking— (Time expired)

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a second supplementary question. Given that the live cattle industry has given you a plan for complete traceability of live cattle sent to Indonesia, and given that you have indicated that you will accept that plan, has the Indonesian government agreed to this plan provided by the cattle industry? When will the live cattle trade recommence?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is probably the fourth time, but I am happy to go through this again because I think it is important for those on the other side to understand this point. Trade to Indonesia will resume once these standards, which I have provided to the Indonesian government through the minister for agriculture, complete the consultative process and are settled, industry can verify and their supply chains meet international welfare standards. Australia is not seeking to impose Australian standards on Indonesia nor to regulate Indonesia. We are regulating the Australian export industry to meet those requisite standards and, at that point, trade will be able to recommence. All of the Australian live export trading partners, including—

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. My question was: do you accept the cattlemen's plan or not?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. Senator Ludwig, you have seven seconds to complete your answer.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The MLA has provided, by my count, three plans, all based on self-regulation—too little and too late, quite frankly. (Time expired)