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

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Minister, when—exactly when; on which date—will the first live cattle export ship leave our shores for Indonesia?

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

The suspension earlier has been lifted. Industry is now able to apply for export permits and, once applications can demonstrate that they meet conditions which are in the export permit, then the trade will—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Just wait a minute. When there is silence—

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why doesn't he give us a date? Give us a date.

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

Senator Cormann, it is one on your side who is on his feet seeking a point of order. He is entitled to be heard in silence.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order on direct relevance. The minister may only be 20 seconds or so into his answer, but he was asked only one thing: he was asked a date. That is the only answer that can be directly relevant, because it was the only question that was asked.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Wait a minute, Senator Conroy. I will run question time, and I will call you when you are to be given the call. When there is silence, we will proceed.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Mr President: it is clear once again that those opposite, and Senator Brandis, have predetermined what the answer should be, and they seek to get you to enforce the answer they want. Standing orders do not permit you to do this. This is not a point of order, and Senator Ludwig has been detailing an answer to the very question he was asked.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

When there is silence we will proceed—once a moment of peace has broken out across the chamber. I need silence, though. There is no point of order. Senator Ludwig, you have one minute and 38 seconds remaining. You are aware of the question.

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

I am aware of the question, because the question which I am answering is this—if those opposite have been listening for some time. But they are closed to the answer, because the answer is that the export permits now have a regulatory regime in place. When an exporter requests a permit, comes forward and can demonstrate they meet those requirements, then the permits will be issued and they will be able to use their Indonesian permits, and the trade will recommence. It is a clear process. Those opposite, of course, would want the trade to recommence without the supply chain assurance and without safeguards that animals will not be mistreated as we saw on that video on Four Corners. What those opposite are arguing for is an immediate resumption of the trade from day one, or a continuation of the trade. What this government has put in place is a supply chain assurance which demonstrates that we have tracking, transparency and independent auditing of that supply chain so that people such as Elders or Wellard, who are near ready as I am informed, can come forward to the department—to the regulator—and have the supply chain assurance conditions met. When they are met, they will then be able to recommence the trade. It is a simple proposition. It is difficult to see why the opposition do not understand that, but it is a simple proposition: as soon as Elders, Wellard or other companies want to seek an export permit— (Time expired)

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

No date! Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that the government's blanket ban has caused the loss of up to three of the prime six months for Australia's north to turn off cattle for export to Indonesia, what is this government doing to help industry—cattle producers, transport operators, saleyards, stevedores and everyone in the supply chain—to shorten the lead time to restart our live cattle export industry.

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

There is no doubt that the industry as a whole will be working quickly and diligently to ensure that companies such as Elders—those seeking export permits—will be able to meet the supply chain requirements and recommence the trade as quickly as possible. In doing so, they will then be able to manage the recommencement to ensure that the live animal export industry continues for the longer term—what I have consistently said is the outcome for the industry. The industry has advised me that the best outcome for them is for this trade to recommence—

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

Mr President, objection—relevance. My question is clearly not about the industry. It is clearly about what the government is doing to shorten the lead time to get this industry off its knees and back into operation.

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

There is no point of order. I am listening closely to the minister's answer. The minister has 24 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. What those opposite fail to really appreciate in this is that it is now for industry to come forward and demonstrate that they meet those conditions within the export control licence and meet the supply chain assurance for this supply to open as quickly as it can, because the best form of assistance for this industry is for this trade to recommence for the longer term. (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question for the minister. Given that the minister was sidelined in negotiations by the foreign minister, Kevin Rudd, who leaves for Indonesia today, wasn't the minister's announcement only made last night because otherwise the foreign minister was going to do it for him—perhaps this Sunday morning?

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

(Queensland—) (): May I reject the question outright. What has been occurring is that the Minister for Trade, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and I have been working diligently to recommence this trade as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister and I have consistently said that we would not wait one moment, when we did not have to, to recommence the trade. As soon as the industry working group had finalised the draft standards, Indonesia had indicated that it was ready to meet the OIE guidelines, the standards were in place, the export control permits were in place—when all of those had come together late yesterday afternoon, I was not going to wait one moment to let the trade recommence as quickly as it can. Those opposite would want us to delay. Those opposite would want us to continue without starting the trade. I reject their suggestion completely. (Time expired)