Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. On Tuesday night, when speaking at the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award event at Parliament House, the Prime Minister of Australia joked about a meal he had just shared with the Indonesian President-elect. He said this—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Don't make fun of it. He said, 'When we had dinner—beautiful Australian beef, not the live export; we made sure it was dead.' Minister, why did the Prime Minister joke about live exports when the live sheep export industry in Western Australia in particular is being shut down by your government, causing untold damage to farming families in my home state of Western Australia?

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

I would first say that the Prime Minister and the government are very proud of Australia's beef industry and will often feature beef on the menu when we have visiting politicians, visiting leaders and ministers, because using those events to showcase great Australian produce is something I would have thought people would be pleased about.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Order, senators! We are two minutes into question time, and I'm having to sit a minister down. I'm asking you to listen in silence. Please continue, Minister Wong.

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

I will remind those opposite that it is this government which has worked very hard to ensure that beef markets, which were closed to the industry, were reopened. I would also note that exports of beef to Indonesia hit a record high in 2022-23. So I do find it interesting—

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I am asking senators on both sides to listen in respectful silence. Minister Wong.

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

I do find it interesting that those opposite are not proud of the Prime Minister and others who make sure that they showcase Australian beef. We're proud of the beef industry, and I'm disappointed that those opposite are not so proud—

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath and Senator Cash, listen in silence. Minister, please continue.

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

As I said, when we came to government we worked very hard with other countries, including China, to reopen beef markets. You know and we know that this is an important export industry for Australia, and it is surprising that there is not more bipartisanship around great Australian produce, noting that, of course, that industry supports jobs and economic benefit into regional Australia—

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

Senator McKenzie—

and Senator McGrath!

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

which I would have thought the National Party would have been supportive of.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why didn't you get that question, Nats?

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

Senator Watt! Senator Cash, first supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, does the Prime Minister think it's acceptable to make farming families he's putting out of business the butt of a joke at an award ceremony for rural women?

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

I understand that the live sheep export phase-out has been a difficult issue for many families. I understand that Senator Cash and others seek to make as much politics out of this as possible. I think we all understand that. I also understand that we went to the election with a very clear commitment on this. Senator Cash may not agree with it—

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

Senators Cash and McKenzie—

The:

and McGrath!

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

She may wish to get outraged, but the reality is that that was a commitment made at the election. We have legislated for that trade to end in May 2028. That enables certainty and the rollout of a transition support package. A $107 million transition support package will provide opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses to be ready for the ending of that particular trade. I appreciate this is a change. It is also consistent with the government's election commitments. (Time expired)

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

I remind senators of standing order 203. I should not have to repeatedly call you, Senator Cash; you, Senator McGrath; and you, Senator McKenzie. I've asked and asked for respectful silence. I've called you individually, and you've completely ignored me. Senator Cash, second supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today the Labor Premier of Western Australia, Roger Cook, said the joke 'rubs salt into the wounds of WA farmers'. He has called on the Prime Minister to apologise. Will the Prime Minister apologise for this poor-taste joke at the expense of Western Australian farmers?

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

Senator McKenzie, if I have to call you again I'm going to invoke 203.

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

I would make three points. First, we understand this is a big change for many farmers in Western Australia and the industry. We understand this is a big change and this has been something that many people opposed. One of the things we have done is put a very substantial amount of money on the table for transition, and I would make the final point that I made earlier—that this was a very clear election commitment from the Albanese government.

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Cash?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order in relation to relevance. The question was: will the Prime Minister apologise for literally killing off an industry—

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

Senator Cash, thank you.

Opposition senators interjecting—

That's a debating point. The question also went to comments made by the WA Premier. I think the minister is being relevant, and I will continue to listen carefully.

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

We also understand that Senator Cash and others are seeking to run a political campaign on this, and this question continues that.

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

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Birmingham?

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

President, you just reflected on the fact that these were comments from the WA Premier—a Labor premier. For the minister to suggest that somehow we're playing politics with comments from somebody on their own side—

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

Senator Birmingham, what is your point of order? There is no point of order. Please continue, Minister Wong. You've finished? Thank you.