Sam McMahon (NT, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, Senator Ruston. Happy birthday, by the way, Senator! My question relates to the ban in 2011 of live cattle exports to Indonesia. This decision sent a billion-dollar industry which employed over 10,000 Australians into absolute chaos after the Labor government shut it down overnight because of left-wing activists. Can the minister outline to the Senate the steps the coalition government has taken to support cattle production in northern Australia after the former Labor government's damaging Indonesian export ban in 2011?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question and acknowledge the extraordinary importance of the live cattle industry in her home territory of the Northern Territory, and also acknowledge her extraordinary advocacy on behalf of the people, the farmers and the workers in that industry through what was a tremendously terrible time for them following the overnight decision in 2011 to ban live exports to Indonesia—a totally devastating act for that industry. Since coming to office, this government has tried to provide that industry with the support that it needs to get back on its feet and to provide it with confidence in its future. We've worked with the industry to make sure that the rules are in place and that the markets are established so that we can continue to grow this fantastic industry for Australia. The government is absolutely committed to the future of this industry.

Since coming to office, we have worked to strengthen our export markets and identify new market access opportunities. In fact, on 5 July, thanks to the tremendously hard work of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, my colleague Senator Birmingham, the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will enter into force—an absolutely major milestone in our trade relationship with Indonesia. This new trade agreement is a win for the northern cattle farmers. It is also a win for all Australians, with duty-free cattle exported to Indonesia—575,000 head at a zero per cent tariff for this first year, increasing by four per cent every year up to a total of 700,000 head. There will also be an immediate halving of the tariff on frozen beef meat, from five to 2½ per cent, and the elimination of tariffs over five years, opening up another market for your cattle farmers, Senator. So, rather than taking a knee-jerk reaction that damages our relationship and tears down Australian farmers in the process, the Morrison government is committed to continuing to support this vibrant industry across northern Australia and is committed to it going forward.

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

Senator McMahon, a supplementary question?

Sam McMahon (NT, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister inform the Senate what the economic devastation is to livelihoods, communities and our trading partners when an industry is recklessly banned overnight?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Clearly, the evidence that we have seen from the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association has put the damage bill from the 2011 decision at hundreds of millions of dollars, much of it felt in your home state of the Northern Territory, Senator. Some 700,000 head of cattle were exported in 2009-10; 266,000 were exported straight after the ban. Some 1,500 farm businesses were affected by this decision right across northern Australia—none more than in your home state of the Northern Territory, Senator. You can't shut down an industry overnight without impacting farmers, families, businesses and communities that rely on this industry, and the pain will always be amplified in rural areas. The former NTCA Chief Executive, Tracey Hayes, said that the association hoped the recent decision would forever be a warning to government that political populism and knee-jerk decisions are not acceptable in any context.

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

Senator McMahon, a final supplementary question?

Sam McMahon (NT, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline to the Senate the position of the government on appealing the live export class action decision? This sector desperately wants closure after nine years of pain following a reckless decision by the former Labor agriculture minister.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The decision was handed down only last week, and we have 28 days to consider that decision. Given the importance of this decision and given that it is a very considerable issue, we will be taking our time. The decision that was made was a terrible decision; there is no question about that. The effect that it had on the live export industry was absolutely enormous and unwarranted. Damage was done not just to the industry but to many other people, industries and communities that rely on it. But, as the Attorney-General said on the radio this morning, the government has a responsibility to ask questions about some of the legal principles that have been made by this quite unique decision. As the A-G noted, one of the questions he is considering is whether or not the lowering of the bar in this decision could actually be weaponised by animal activists against decisions which support the live animal export industry. I'm sure everyone on this side of the chamber would agree that this is a critically important question to answer correctly. The government is proceeding with the live export industry with our farmers front of mind.