Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Watt. Yesterday in question time, when pressured on how many passengers have walked through sanitised foot mats, the minister said:

A hundred per cent of passengers have been walking through sanitised foot mats.

The minister has clearly misled the Senate. In fact, tens of thousands of passengers have disembarked from Bali since the outbreak in Bali on 5 July and the installation of the foot mats only this week without footwear being disinfected. I wrote to the minister informing him of this misleading statement yesterday, and he still has not taken the opportunity to correct the record and make a ministerial explanation to the Senate.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When will the minister do the honourable thing and correct the record to the Senate?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the minister, I am going to ask that you respect the senator asking the questions and not interject and that you listen to the minister's response.

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

Well, that's a pretty sad way for this question time to start out today, given that I think on three or four occasions yesterday I actually answered the question that you are asking. I have received a letter from you, which I have signed a response to. You may have even received it by now.

Well, maybe talk to your office, but we certainly have signed off a response. I will confirm yet again—I'm probably up to five times, six times, seven times—that 100 per cent of passengers who have returned to Australia from Indonesia since the foot mats were in place on Monday and Tuesday—

Honourable senators interjecting—

That's what I said. That's what I said.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

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

Wow! Is this what you've become? Is this what you've become?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, resume your seat.

Order! Senator Ayres!

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Senator Birmingham!

Order! Senator Ayres, I had just called the Senate to order and you interjected. I would appreciate you following my order, when I call for order, that you do not interject. Senator Watt, please continue.

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

It is rather interesting that it is only since the election and their going into the opposition that the opposition have become interested in foot mats, because, of course, this outbreak reached Indonesia on 9 May. What did the opposition do about foot mats or biosecurity zones or any of the things that we've done in response to the outbreak? Well, I'll tell you what they did. The former minister, Mr Littleproud, when the outbreak reached—oh, come on!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, resume your seat. Senator Brockman, a point of order?

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

On relevance. And, oh, come on, Senator Watt, answer the question. Do not attack the opposition.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, just a moment, please. I'm not quite clear what your point of order is. Can you go directly—

I'll come to you, Senator Wong.

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

I apologise for responding to Senator Watt's interjection; however, I was making a point of order on direct relevance. This is not an opportunity to attack the opposition or previous government policy.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Brockman. Resume your seat.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Senator Wong and Minister Watt! The question was about foot mats. The minister was directly referring to foot mats. As you know, I cannot—

Minister Watt, I haven't called you. I cannot direct a minister on how to answer a question, but he is being directly relevant to the question, which was about foot mats.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He misled the Senate!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator McGrath. Let's allow the minister to continue the answer. Minister.

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

As I was saying, I am pleased the opposition has become interested in foot mats, because when this outbreak reached Indonesia on 9 May, what did the former Minister for Agriculture Mr Littleproud do? Did he introduce foot mats? Did he introduce a biosecurity response? No. Do you know what he did? He sent a tweet! He sent a tweet; that is the only thing Minister Littleproud did at the time. And then he didn't say anything until 6 July.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam President, this is actually a grave matter that this minister—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, what is the point of order?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on the first day hasn't been—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie what's your point of order?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Direct relevance.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This minister has misled the Senate—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and is not dealing with it in his question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, please resume your seat. Minister Watt, there was a direct question about mats. I was giving you some latitude, but please get to the directness of the question.

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

Thank you, President. I have lost count of the number of times I have now answered this question. I did it repeatedly yesterday, again today and in a letter today. Former Minister Littleproud was not the only person to say nothing about foot mats or the outbreak until it got to Bali. We heard nothing from Senator McKenzie until 19 July. She didn't comment once when it got to Indonesia. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a supplementary question.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

ator McKENZIE (—) (): I refer Senator Watt to his statement to the Senate yesterday that Australia has:

… approximately one million vaccines available to us in a stockpile and they are available within one week's notice.

Given this fact, why won't vaccines be delivered to Indonesia, which is going through an uncontrollable outbreak, for more than four weeks, as first advised, and not arriving until August, as you informed the Senate?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, President. I'd ask you to rule as to whether that's in fact supplementary to the primary question. If the minister wishes to answer, obviously, it's a matter for him, but that is not, in my submission, a supplementary to the primary question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Wong. Senator Birmingham?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, on the point of order: both the question and the supplementary question relate to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia. Both of them relate to answers given by Senator Watt in question time yesterday on the same related issue. It is demonstrably a supplementary question to the primary question, and you should rule Senator Wong's point of order out of order.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham, I'll take some advice. Given there has been different views expressed by Minister Wong and Senator Birmingham, I'm advised that the question is broad enough to allow that first supplementary. But I will review the Hansard and, if necessary, come back to the Senate with an answer. I invite the minister to respond.

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

Thank you, President. I'm happy to take the question. It seems that the opposition—

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But you're not going to answer it, though, are you?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath! Senator Brockman?

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

President, it's direct relevance. The minister cannot start an answer with 'the opposition'. I mean, that is a significant—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, resume your seat.

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

That—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman! I have asked you to resume your seat. Order! The senator has just commenced his answer, so we will see where he goes in the next breath. He has barely said two words. Minister.

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

Thank you, President. As I was saying: we have ordered vaccines for Australia and we have them in a vaccine bank to ensure that we are properly prepared for a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, should it reach Australia. The former minister's question goes to Indonesian vaccines. Now, I know this might come as a surprise to the opposition, because it's something they never practiced when they were in government, but, when you work with other countries, you need to do it cooperatively. You actually need to develop a partnership relationship as opposed to the kind of relationship your government cultivated with our friends in South-East Asia and the Pacific.

So, when the Prime Minister was in Indonesia—where he was very well received, I might point out—he offered assistance in the form of vaccines to the Indonesian government. At that point in time, they decided to pursue their own interests. We have since, as a result of my visit, offered a million, and they're coming. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a second supplementary?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday, the minister said, 'Biosecurity officers will not only be deployed into airports; they will be deployed into mail centres' as well. How many of the 18 new biosecurity officers are currently operational at mail centres? Which mail centres are they, and what is their specific foot-and-mouth disease passenger intervention task?

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

I anticipated I might get a question about this, because it came up yesterday.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because you didn't answer it last time.

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

Would you like the answer?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. Interjections across the chamber are disorderly. Please continue answering the question, Minister Watt.

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

My intention, as is normal practice, is to answer the questions that I took on notice yesterday at the end of question time today, which is what many ministers on your side of the chamber have done.

The answer is that my announcement was that our new funding, funding that your government, when you were in power, did not commit and did not implement, will deliver 18 new biosecurity officers. They are currently being recruited, and, in the meantime, we have employed 65 contractors and 10 other officers. Again, I make the point that every action we have taken—sanitation foot mats, biosecurity response zones, extra biosecurity officers—were never taken by your government when this outbreak got to Indonesia. All you did was send tweets.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, resume your seat. Senator McGrath, I have asked politely on a number of occasions that you not interject. Please desist with the interjections. They are disorderly. Thank you, Minister.

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

It's no wonder, with this calibre of debate, that industry is backing the government. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, I directed you just then not to interject, and the minute the minister got up you interjected again.

It's not a debate. Senator McGrath, it is not a debate with me. It's a direct request. I'm asking you to stop being disorderly.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I may, President, in relation to your previous point of order, I just wanted to refer you to Odgers'and I do this also so that the opposition can be aware of the position of the government. In relation to the use of supplementary questions, President McClelland made a statement in which he said:

… supplementary questions are appropriate only for the purposes of elucidating information arising from the original question and answer. They are not appropriate for the purpose of introducing additional or new material or proposing a new question, even though such a question might be related to the subject matter of the original question.

Whilst I do note that there have been some changes in standing orders since that time, I would ask you, perhaps subsequent to question time, to consider that.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whilst undertaking that review, I would encourage you to look back at past consideration of questions that were asked. I think you will find that, in terms of the relationship between the question that is asked and the supplementary questions, oftentimes that relationship relates very specifically to the subject matter and the flow of the small issues related to those subjects. In this case, the discussion of foot mats and the discussion of vaccines being supplied to Indonesia clearly all relate to the foot-and-mouth outbreak and are following the very common practice since the process of having a primary question and two supplementary questions was introduced into the Senate.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank both leaders for those comments. As I said, I'll review the Hansard and come back to the Senate if necessary.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, I'll just very briefly observe, President, that we are chewing up a lot of time at the moment. Question time yesterday had a very small number of questions asked and time was consumed by excessive points of order. I just simply ask senators, including Senator Wong and Senator Birmingham, to consider the passage of time while they are making their points of order.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKim, I can reassure you that, during this current debate and points of order, the clock has been stopped.