Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Can I also add my congratulations to you, Mr Deputy President, in obtaining this position today. One regret is, though, that we have lost you from the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee. We know you will look kindly on that committee in your deliberations in this role. Congratulations.

I rise also to provide a contribution today to this debate to take note of answers. I want to re-emphasise the answers given by Senator Ludwig. As a senator for the Northern Territory, I know only too well the importance of the live cattle industry to people in the Northern Territory. I also know the benefit, of course, that that live cattle trade provides to our economy in the Northern Territory and also nationally.

I want to reiterate that there are a number of us who are diligently working with the live cattle industry, particularly the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association, to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. Despite the calls around the country to totally ban live cattle export, this government will not do that. This government has not said that it will take that stance at all; in fact, this govern­ment is working constantly, hour by hour, to deliver an outcome as quickly as possible, to again get the cattle moving and on those boats and off to Indonesia.

We have had the Prime Minister in the Northern Territory twice in one month to meet with the cattle industry to talk through with them their issues and concerns. On Wednesday last week, in fact, she spent quite a bit of time with them. As a result of that, we announced a further Live Exports Assistance Package of $30 million. That was done in consultation with that industry.

I and Minister Warren Snowdon from the House organised for the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association executive to meet here in Parliament House for two days. That occurred only a fortnight ago. It was unprecedented for an association such as that to have access to ministers and people from the opposition, and people from any caucus, for 48 hours to talk through and highlight their concerns about what they were going through and experiencing.

But, as we have said on record, we want to ensure that, when the cattle leave this country on the boats and get to Indonesia, the welfare of those animals, to the extent that we saw on that Four Corners program, is resolved forever. We do not want just a stopgap solution to get the current cattle moving but not fix up the problem in the long term. We want to ensure that the problems that have been highlighted are resolved definitely and forever and that we never, ever have this problem recur.

We are trying to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig, travelled to Indonesia to talk this through and a range of people are working on this constantly. We have talked through with the Indonesian government some pro­visions which we believe will improve what is happening in abattoirs and improve the control and regulation of the supply chain. We also have an industry-government working group on live animal exports which was established in June. The new system may include placing controls on Australian exporters' licences. Such controls would require that exporters demonstrate they are supplying animals into a supply chain that meets agreed animal welfare standards. The exporter would also have to fulfil all other export requirements.

We have to ensure that when those animals arrive in Indonesia we work with the Indonesian government cooperatively—not dictating to the government but respecting the policies and the wishes of that govern­ment—so that as quickly as possible the cattle are placed in feedlots that are well controlled, well organised and supervised and after leaving those feedlots they go to an abattoir which meets the expectations that Australians require. We are the only country at this stage demanding that of Indonesia. It is another country. You need to respect the rights and the protocols of that country. It is not for us to simply take over and dictate to that country what it ought to do. This government is working hard to resolve this. (Time expired)