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

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Can the minister confirm that the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation is currently operating without a board and can the minister explain how this situation has come about?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Colbeck for his question. The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation continues to operate and continues to do a very good job across all of the work that it does. It is a shame that you want to call into question the board's—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well it is, quite frankly. I thought we would have had bipartisan support to make sure that we have the best possible people available.

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

Mr President, I raise a point of order in relation to direct relevance. I know there are sometimes marginal cases in here but in answer to a question does a particular named statutory authority have a board, it is hardly possible for the minister to have been relevant in his answer so far when all he has been asked is whether it has a board or not.

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

The minister has been going for only 32 seconds. I am very conscious of the question and I am listening closely to the minister's answer. The minister has one minute and 28 seconds remaining to address the question.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brandis for his slight interjection and helpful comment. In terms of the management of the board, we are going through a system of replacing some members of the existing of the board. But let us be clear: that does not mean that the board is not operating. What we have done is call for—

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

It expired two weeks ago.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Colbeck for his continued interest in the board. What we do have is a process to go through to reappoint the existing board. That does not mean that the board does not continue to operate. I have signed off under the PIERD Act the relevant need to have and appoint new members on the board. So, therefore, it will continue to operate when it next meets. It will be there in place to operate because—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Because that will be in place. It is quite clear.

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. On 2 November last year, the minister advised the Senate that the Grains Research and Development Corporation was operating without a board. Can the minister explain how, once again, we find ourselves with a significant research and development corporation operating without a board at a time that is obviously critical to fisheries research and development management?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Colbeck for his question. The work of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation is second to none in this area. The opposition know that. Perhaps it is worthwhile explaining how it works. What we have is a board that has terms of office. They do come up and they do need to be reappointed. We do need to go through selection processes to make sure we have the best available people for those jobs. Of course, today we have signed off under the PIERD Act the reappointment of the new board so that it can fulfil its duties. Why? Because it is important work that they undertake under the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Research and development corporations do play a vital role in sustainability, competitiveness and productivity growth of Australian rural industries. These are important boards that play a vital role under the PIERD Act. (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, is this the latest failure of you to provide proper oversight and governance, another example of your disinterest in the portfolio, or is it, indeed, evidence of your reduced influence in your portfolio and in government?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Colbeck for his supplementary question. It is one of those areas where Senator Colbeck has been perhaps negligent. How many times has Senator Colbeck moved out of his comfort zone in Tasmania to be able to engage with rural Australia? Because what we find with the opposition, when we look between the doormats to the Liberal Party, the National Party, and the Liberal coalition, is that they do not have an interest in agriculture. That can be seen in foreign investment. On the one hand you are opposed to increasing agriculture, increasing the ability of transference of skills and being able to ensure that research and development is done in rural Australia. On the other hand, foreign investment from the Liberals is completely different from that. What we do have is research and development corporations that work very diligently across agriculture to ensure that we do have all that vital research work done to lift productivity in agriculture. (Time expired)