Senate debates Questions without Notice
Agriculture: Intravenous Fluid Products
Slade Brockman WA, Liberal Party
2:00 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator McCarthy. The current shortage of saline IV fluids under your government's watch is also impacting the agricultural sector. What guarantees can the minister provide to Australian commercial livestock operators and the nation's farmers that their livestock and livelihoods will not be adversely impacted by this shortage?
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
I thank the good senator from Western Australia for the question. Just to follow up on something that he might have said 10 seconds before the question: we all love beef. We all like to eat sheep—those of us who like that—and lamb. It is important. It's good food. It's something that certainly those of us in the Northern Territory like.
Slade Brockman WA, Liberal Party
Yes. The question was about IV saline availability. The minister's got nowhere near it. If she doesn't know the answer, she should sit down.
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
I know this is an important question for the senator from Western Australia, and I would say this: we saw what happened during the pandemic, when we couldn't get the medical supplies that we needed when we needed them most, which is why the Albanese government is investing to create strong domestic supply chains that support our world-class services. That includes rebuilding our medical, pharmaceutical and manufacturing capacity in this country and to reach out right across all of these sectors, including the sectors that the good senator from Western Australia is asking a question about. We've dedicated $1.5 billion of the $15 billion of the National Reconstruction Fund for medical manufacturing. Only the Albanese Labor government believes in making things here and is investing so we aren't always reliant on others in a crisis. Under your watch, Australians faced shortages of vaccines, shortages of COVID tests and shortages of PPE for our frontline workers.
Honourable senators interjecting—
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
Even today they stand in here and say that they want stronger domestic capability while, at the same time, their colleagues rant and rave in the opposite place.
Honourable senators interjecting—
Sue Lines President
Senator Ruston and Senator Cash, I called both of you, and you completely disregarded my direction. Senator Brockman, first supplementary?
Slade Brockman WA, Liberal Party
2:03 pm
This is a serious question that does impact livelihoods, and I don't think the contempt this Labor government has for the ag sector should be on display in the answers. The current shortages are also impacting Australians' veterinary clinics. Vets are reporting that, without adequate IV, practices may need to cancel emergency surgery and postpone routine procedures. What guarantees can the minister provide to millions of Australian pet owners that their pets will not be adversely impacted?
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
We won't be lectured on this side about the importance of supply chains. We won't be lectured on this side about the importance of having those supply chains.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
I do pick up on the senator's question there in terms of the way we react and treat the farming industry. I disagree completely—
Senator Ruston, if you'd let me finish.
Sue Lines President
Senator Ruston!
Honourable senators interjecting—
Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Wong and Senator Ruston, it's my role to make sure the Senate is orderly. I will admit I am not always successful at that, but I would ask senators to stop their interjections.
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
I do pick up on the senator's question there in terms of our work and the legislation that Senator Watt brought in on live sheep exports.
Opposition senators interjecting—
They don't want to hear.
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
They don't want to hear.
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
They don't want to know. They come in here saying that we're not interested in—
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
This is on relevance. Maybe the senator would like the question reread. We were talking about pets.
Sue Lines President
Senator Ruston, I do remind you and other senators in this place that there was a preamble to that question about the government's regard for the ag sector. The minister is perfectly entitled to address that part of the question. Yes, Senator Wong?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The opposition consistently interject, particularly on this minister.
Opposition senators interjecting—
She was responding to an interjection, so you can't have it both ways.
Sue Lines President
Thank you, Senator Wong. I have addressed Senator Ruston's point of order. Senator Brockman, a second supplementary?
Slade Brockman WA, Liberal Party
2:06 pm
Will the minister guarantee that no animal great or small will be adversely impacted by the government's failure to appropriately manage this IV fluid shortage that they have known about for more than a year?
Sue Lines President
I'm not going to call the minister until there is silence across the chamber. Order! Senator Davey, when you are quite finished!
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
I can certainly say this to the good senator from Western Australia: we have a minister here in the federal government who is very, very dedicated to wanting to ensure there is care and concern right across the country. I think you are coming into this chamber wanting to cause fights over things that are totally unnecessary. We are certainly very supportive of the farming industry, and we certainly will—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
take on any of those issues. I know the minister will—you don't even want to listen. You don't even want to listen!
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
So rude!
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
You're so rude.
Sue Lines President
Just a moment, Senator Birmingham. I'm waiting for silence.
Simon Birmingham SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
I have a point of order on direct relevance. The question was very clearly specific about IV fluid shortages and the impact on animals and veterinary practices. The minister, in more than half the time available, has come nowhere close to veterinary practice or to animals let alone to IV fluid shortages. Please draw her to the question.
Sue Lines President
Thank you, Senator Birmingham. Just a moment, Minister McCarthy. I would very happily draw the minister to the question, but I also note that there have been a number of interjections, which the senator is also entitled to answer. I suggest, if you want the question answered, control the interjections.
Malarndirri McCarthy NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by the other side, we do have a minister who is very prepared to meet with the sector and work with the sector. I just repeat for those opposite who don't want to listen that we do believe in investing here, unlike you— (Time expired)