Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) the Senate notes that:

(a) on 15 March 2019, the Federal Government announced that it would progress a mandatory code of conduct for the dairy industry;

(b) the current exposure draft of the Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes—Dairy) Regulations 2019 differs from an earlier exposure draft, in that it provides that milk processors will be able to retrospectively reduce the minimum price paid to producers under a milk supply agreement in circumstances that are 'beyond reasonable control of the processor'; and

(c) the Minister for Agriculture, Senator McKenzie, stated during a media interview on 12 November 2019 on ABC Radio National, that 'our legal drafters have interpreted the feedback we got through consultation and have actually reflected that in the words we have today'.

(2) That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Agriculture, by 5 pm on 25 November 2019:

(a) the drafting instructions provided to legal drafters to make changes to the previous exposure draft of the Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes—Dairy) Regulations 2019; and

(b) all correspondence between milk processors and the Minister for Agriculture, and milk processors and the Department of Agriculture during the period 1 March and 12 November 2019.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) 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.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The motion is slightly inaccurate. Section 23(1)(a) of the exposure draft of the mandatory dairy code of conduct bans contracts from having clauses which retrospectively reduce the prices paid to farmers in any circumstances. This is in line with the principles announced on 15 March 2019 and with clause 22 in the draft clauses for a dairy code released in January 2019. Our government stands with our dairy farmers, which is why we are committed to a mandatory dairy code of conduct as requested by Australian dairy farmers.

Question agreed to.