Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) | Hansard source

The comments I make speak to the amendment and the motion. The government won't be supporting the referral of the legislation to the Rural and Regional Affairs Transport References Committee for an inquiry. Views on both sides of the debate have been widely expressed for many years, including at the last federal election when Australians voted to phase out live sheep exports.

For over six months the independent panel consulted extensively, meeting with over 2,000 individuals, holding 80 stakeholder meetings and receiving more than 800 submissions. Then the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture held an inquiry into the legislation, including two in-person hearings, and received 13,000 submissions, the vast majority of which were in favour of the policy. Any further inquiries would only result in duplication. It's time to get on and pass this legislation to give certainty to farmers, get the transition support package out the door and create more jobs in WA.