Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Bill

We now come to our final debate, which is clauses 1 to 3. This is the debate on clauses 1 to 3, “Title”, “Commencement”, and “Principal Act”. The question is that clause 1 stand part.

Sorry, can I first get a clarification from you, Madam Chair? Did you say clause 1 only or is it clauses 1 to 3?

CHAIRPERSON (Maureen Pugh): Clauses 1 to 3.

Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN: It is 1 to 3. OK, cool. I actually have a question for the Minister of Agriculture around clause 2 with the commencement date. Again, pardon my ignorance if there’s a specific significance of this date. But, normally, we do see that either the Act comes into force the day after Royal assent or the day of Royal assent or, potentially, within a three-month period, etc. I want to check with the Minister if there is any significance, Minister, to the date of 1 May. Is it to do with the way that certain allocations of the dairy industry work? Is it to do with a standard day for exports? I’m just curious about the date.

Well, the 1 May date’s a date of celebration, particularly for our dairy farmers. But in this case it gives the Ministry for Primary Industries enough time to make sure the procedure is in place and they will be setting allocation for the following calendar year—so if the allocation would be available for the 2026 to 2027 calendar year.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is also with regards to the commencement date. We had a submitter that suggested perhaps that changes that have been proposed in this bill take effect and shouldn’t be implemented for five to 10 years. I’m interested to understand the Minister of Agriculture’s reason for not implementing it in five or 10 years, why implementing it straight away, why get it implemented this quickly for the beginning of the dairy season. Was there any reason for that and not holding off for a year, two, five, or 10?

Thank you. Well, I guess the point here is that we’re making the changes to make it fairer so the full quota allocation is utilised, and there will be those there who haven’t got the access they would want to the quota; they’re already exporting, although they may not collect as much milk and therefore to level and balance the system. So if we are accepting across the committee, as we’re all supporting this legislation, that this is a good idea, that I’m suggesting that every year delayed is a missed opportunity for some of those exporters, and we are able to implement it quickly, properly, so that the benefits of this legislation that are widely supported are accrued and delivered from the beginning of next year.

Clause 1 agreed to.

Clause 2 agreed to.

Clause 3 agreed to.

Bill to be reported without amendment.

House resumed.

Madam Speaker, the committee has considered the Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Bill and reports it without amendment. I move, That the report be adopted.

Motion agreed to.

Report adopted.

The bill is set down for third reading immediately.

Third Reading