Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Dean Smith, Reynolds, Cash and Cormann, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia (PGA of WA) has represented the interest of agricultural producers in WA since 1907,

(ii) the PGA of WA's mission statement is 'To ensure the prosperity and long term viability of members, the agricultural and associated industries, by providing an effective voice state-wide and federally through a financially sound, efficient, free enterprise organisation with strong leadership',

(iii) the PGA of WA has a proud tradition of advocating reform, even when not always popular or easy to do so, and

(iv) the PGA of WA successes include: the deregulation of the wheat industry, the deregulation of the price controls in the wool industry, ending lamb quotas and price controls in WA, advocating for property rights, and defending the live export trade;

(b) congratulates Mr Tony Seabrook, recipient of the 2018 National Agriculture Day Award, for his long-standing contribution to agriculture, including his campaign against the WA State Labor Government's funding cuts to the School of Air; and

(c) further congratulates all former and current members of the PGA of WA for the remarkable contribution of the organisation for over 100 years.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor acknowledges the work Tony Seabrook undertakes on behalf of the agriculture sector. However, Labor cannot support the motion due to the continuing controversy the AgDay award continues to deliver. Last year the inaugural AgDay award was given to Barnaby Joyce with a $40,000 cheque and an event co-sponsored by the National Farmers' Federation and the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources at an event held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. This year the award was held in Sydney on a boat cruise in Sydney Harbour at $175 a head. Unlike last year's event, this year's event was not supported by the National Farmers' Federation or the agriculture department and there was no $40,000 cheque. The government is constantly telling the parliament and the Australian people that the government is standing up for those people in agriculture and that we should be engaging with those in the region, yet it's happy to support the AgDay award events in capital cities, rather than provide much-needed economic benefit to those in our regions.

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Greens will not be supporting this motion. The Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia may well have represented the interests of agricultural producers, but this is not necessarily taking action in the interests of the broader community and our environment and animal welfare. Much of what they have done is not something to be congratulated. In particular, the motion noting that the PGA of WA successes include advocating for property rights is code for advocating for removing clearing controls which are protecting native vegetation in Western Australia. The motion also notes that the PGA of WA successes include defending the live export trade. The motion notes that what they do is not always popular. I note that today, in my inbox, I have received 20 emails passionate about stopping the live export trade because of animal cruelty and awful animal suffering. This is not something to be congratulated and not something that the Greens are supportive of.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it's very disappointing that Labor and the Greens are joining to oppose congratulating a great Western Australian for standing up for agriculture, for advocating on behalf of his industry and for advocating on behalf of so many things that make the Western Australian agriculture industry great. I think it's a very sad state of affairs and it does show where those on this side of the chamber stand in relation to agricultural industries.

Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I support everything Senator Rice said about this. Praising live exports is a disgrace. I will tell you one thing: as Rachel Hunter would say, it won't happen overnight, but it will happen. We're coming to get you. Live sheep exports will be banned in this country within five years.

Question negatived.