Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

No. I took offence to a range of things the member for Moncrieff said across the chamber. 'Ignorant' is not unparliamentary. What is ignorant is when a member says a rebate to a company is about a union, which is what he said across the chamber. The Australian Shipowners Association is an employer body. I will explain it to him really slowly, so that he gets it. It is an employer body, and it is a tax offset to a company. It does not provide money or income to a union member or a worker. That is the problem of those opposite—they are so ideological that anything to do with the Australian shipping industry becomes about their anti-union crusade. In undertaking this crusade they are attacking Australian industry; the Australian Shipowners Association. They are attacking the groups that sat down and worked this out as a policy for industry—a policy that is not protectionist, but a policy that is about growing Australian industry and growing Australian jobs. Those opposite do not seem to understand that.

We want to see Australian shipping companies that are successful. But if you have an Australian shipping company and a foreign shipping company attempting to ply the same route and the foreign shipping company can do it cheaper because of the policies put in place by this government, then we have to address that and try to get a genuinely level playing field. That is what this policy did. I want to see Australia, an island continent, as a shipping nation with a thriving local maritime industry. Those opposite see that as a provocative statement that is about trade unionism. It is an extraordinary position that they have. The long-term effect of these sorts of changes and the failure to defend Australia's maritime industry will mean a loss of jobs. They want to talk a lot about borders and security and boats, but they do not want to talk about the Australian flag being on the back of Australian ships with Australian seafarers. If some of those opposite think that the maritime sector has no relationship at all with Australia's national security or with protection of the Australian environment, depending upon which ships go through the Great Barrier Reef, then I am afraid that does show their ignorance about what is good policy.

The 2012 reforms had the backing of industry, and they followed more than a year of careful consultation with industry. Immediately those opposite came to office they indicated that they would be winding it all back, therefore ensuring that you did not get that investment that was envisaged. The parliamentary secretary said in his speech that the reforms had failed, but they had not been given a chance to operate. Those opposite have said that the reforms will be wound back immediately. You should go and talk to people like the Ascianos and the big players in the industry that employ Australians. Many of these companies would agree with you about a whole range of issues, but I will tell you what: they do not agree with you on putting up the white flag and saying there is no role for Australian ships. If an island continent such as Australia has no shipping industry, there will be real long-term consequences in terms of the loss of that skills base.

We want reform in the national interest. This reform that they are attempting to wind back here is a saving—and that is the point. It is a saving to the government from removing a rebate for business. By all means, argue that business should not deserve that rebate, but do it on the basis of the reality, not on the basis of this nonsense that somehow it is not a rebate for business. At least understand the legislation that is before the parliament in terms of the changes that are being put forward. This is very disappointing indeed for Australian industry. I spoke to the head of the Australian Shipowners Association today, and there is a great deal of disappointment about the fact that the coalition has made no attempt to have proper policy development and process on this. We did. We made no apologies for the fact that we did negotiate and had input from and consultation with unions as well as employers and others in the sector. Everyone from the National Farmers' Federation to Rio Tinto and the Business Council were all involved and were able to participate in that process. I commend the amendment to this legislation that will be moved by the shadow Treasurer. He is doing that because of the flawed proposition being put forward by the government to run what is a very narrow, ideological and misguided agenda.

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