Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

My understanding is that Senator Bernardi's amendment isn't just to review but also that there is a sunset clause built into that review mechanism. That would be inconsistent. Let me also stress that a problem with that—and I'd have thought Senator Bernardi would appreciate this problem—is that if you have a sunset provision, which means that tariff rates and so forth return to their previous levels, you're in essence back to the point of renegotiating those terms, and you may not get such good terms the next time around as you did the first time around. What is far better in terms of the types of review mechanisms that are built into agreements of this nature is that the terms that are agreed continue as agreed but, ideally, provide those review mechanisms for an opportunity to try to get even better terms from thereon in.