Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

We are seeking that this piece of legislation go to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee. We are doing that for a number of reasons. One is that this is the committee under which most of these issues around shipping and transport are normally heard. We have Senator Sterle, behind me, who works in this committee. The important issues of shipping in Australia are already the subject of an extensive Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee hearing, so it makes sense for the people who are working and negotiating all the time in this area, as an effective Senate committee, to have the same issues that they have been looking at to go to the same committee, which already has the estimates process for this industry.

We know that this is an extraordinarily complex area. We know that there was a long history of engagement in this process when Labor was in government

There were extensive considerations in the House of Reps looking at the whole area around national shipping, and we know that it has important environmental, national security and freight transport efficiency implications.

This is an important issue. There have been a number of reviews in the past, all of which reinforce the need for these issues to be considered carefully. They need a wide range of engagement. Sensibly, if you already have a committee process operating that has a reporting date in the first sitting week of next year, we truly believe that this is a more effective way. It will use the expertise best and respond most effectively to the industry if this matter is referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee with the same reporting date as the references inquiry so that the work can be done together, all the issues can be looked at and we can maximise the efficiency of the debate. It is an important process. In speaking against Senator Fifield's amendment, I am also speaking to mine to minimise the length of the debate.