Agriculture Minister Murray Watt appears at senate estimates on May 30.
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00:00 Mr Ghosn, just on a follow up to one of the questions from Senator Walsh, the correct
00:05 figure for what I think the Minister described as the bailout to the Department was $120
00:11 million?
00:12 I think it's $127 million.
00:13 $127 million.
00:14 So the bailout to the Department is worth more to this Government than banning the live
00:19 export trade, is that correct?
00:21 Well, if you think it's a smart decision to have the Department of Agriculture go bankrupt,
00:28 then you're on your own.
00:29 So the bailout to the Department is worth more to you than the live export industry
00:32 in Western Australia?
00:34 Having a Department of Agriculture that can function is pretty important to Australian
00:38 farmers.
00:39 I'm pretty surprised that a Liberal Senator would say it's okay to let the Department
00:44 of Agriculture go broke.
00:46 Minister, do you agree that this live export phase-out ban is a contentious and disputed
00:54 policy area?
00:55 Yes, and we'll have a good opportunity to talk about that in outcome two.
00:57 Absolutely.
00:58 So you agree with that fact?
00:59 Yes, of course.
01:00 So can you explain why the Government has just refused in the House of Representatives
01:05 to allow an inquiry from the relevant House committee into that bill?
01:10 Well, again, we can talk about that in detail later, but in my experience it's Senate inquiries
01:16 that do legislation inquiries, and I'm sure that will happen here.
01:20 So you're guaranteeing a proper Senate inquiry into the bill?
01:22 Of course there will need to be an inquiry.
01:24 Of sufficient duration to allow the Senate to get to Western Australia?
01:28 To meet with Western Australian farmers?
01:30 That would all be a matter for the Senate, but I would of course expect...
01:34 I would of course...
01:35 So you would guarantee to farmers...
01:36 Would you like me to finish?
01:37 All right, come on.
01:38 We've been doing so well since this morning.
01:40 It's of course a matter for the Senate what inquiry it wants to undertake, but I would
01:46 expect that it would have a hearing or it would go to WA.
01:51 You will guarantee to farmers in my home state of Western Australia that there will be a
01:56 Senate inquiry for sufficient time to hear from all parts of the industry affected by
02:01 your ban?
02:02 Well...
02:03 No, it's not.
02:04 You're the government.
02:05 You're the minister.
02:06 No, no, no.
02:07 Neither you nor any other Senator can dictate what the Senate chooses to do with its committee
02:12 hearings, but I would think it would be a good idea for the Senate inquiry to go to
02:16 WA.
02:17 Multiple times.
02:18 For there to be an inquiry and for it to go to WA.
02:21 There are many communities affected by this decision.
02:23 Yes, on that.
02:24 You well know.
02:25 So you will guarantee that the government will support having an inquiry that will hear
02:30 from those communities?
02:32 I can't add to my previous answer.