Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

And I have about 10 minutes to go, too. Mr Deputy Speaker, I think you are learning from this contribution from the opposition that the air transport industry is very important to the Australian economy. We treat the bill before the House today very seriously, because you cannot have a viable industry without a proper security regime. I have also sought to deal with some of the climate change challenges that confront the aviation industry, because the cost of security represents an additional cost to the industry. The last thing we need, over and above those costs, which are part and parcel of operating in this industry at the moment, is additional unnecessary taxes and policies to shut down Australian industries and destroy Australian jobs via environmental NGOs and Green political parties which have no regard for Australia’s economic future. I know that I have the full agreement of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services on these comments.

The air transport industry will finance the security changes and the associated infrastructure, airport and air navigation services for user charges and also pay taxes to the national Treasury. It is therefore totally misleading to suggest that aviation enjoys taxation privileges when compared to other transport modes. The contrast is starkly illustrated in Europe, where every rail journey is subsidised and every air journey contributes to net government revenue. The entire aviation industry and the travelling public depend on the safest possible approach to our fight against terrorism. But we have to have regard for the costs and the endeavours of others to impose additional costs on an industry which is, more than ever, aggressively competitive both internationally and domestically.

The changes suggested by the government have the support of the opposition, but I will, on behalf of the opposition, be moving a second reading amendment to highlight our concerns about their failure to properly engage with industry in the development of the bill. In doing so, I urge the government to go out of its way to further consult with industry and expressly with the representatives of the workers, the unions—who are committed to the processes—on the implementation of the changes, such as those to do with drug and alcohol testing. We want to make sure that these changes are implemented with proper consultation. There are also some issues from the Wheeler report which the member for Brisbane, the shadow minister for homeland security, will address more fully.

I thank the Deputy Speaker for the opportunity to make a broad-ranging speech on what I regard as a very important industry. It is important not only to Australia but also globally. I ask that he take that message back to his electorate and make sure that they understand the attack on it coming from green NGOs and the European Union. This attack is aimed at crippling the aviation industry in Australia. The European Union is not only about crippling the aviation industry because of a mistaken view about greenhouse emissions. If you go into shops such as Marks and Spencer in Great Britain at the moment, you can see ads suggesting that you should not buy Australian farm produce because there are higher levels of emissions in getting Australian product to market than in getting European product to market. This is a serious debate.

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