Independent Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that an extra $203M or $50.75M each year over 4 years will boost the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme – and has released a summary of 7 speeches and 3 questions (see attached 1) which helped force the positive change and applied “freight fire” to the Liberal Government’s political belly in the federal senate.
“ I note that once again, the lazy Liberal team from Tasmania are trying to claim all the credit for another Abbott Government backflip, but the reality is that it has been a community and team effort of sustained pressure over many years – which has finally made the government of the day see commonsense and deliver more for Tasmania.” Said Senator Lambie.
“However, it should never have reached this desperate stage where thousands of Tasmanian jobs were placed in jeopardy because of a lack of funding, poor management and bad rules governing the Bass Strait Freight Equalization Scheme.
I particularly congratulate Norske Skog General Manager Rod Bender who, in a passionate and brilliant speech to the Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party – detailed the seriousness and urgency of the Bass Strait Freight Crisis at a meeting I organised early in February this year (see attached 2)” said Senator Lambie.
“I wrote on the 10.2.15 after the meeting in my Press release that: The Prime Minister specifically stated during Mr Bender’s comprehensive briefing that he didn’t rule out boosting the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme by tens of millions of dollars and also including export goods in the scheme. Today the PM has succumbed to the pressure of sweet clear commonsense.” said Senator Lambie
“Other people and groups who deserve credit for the government’s sudden change of heart are Barrister Peter Brohier, well known Tasmanian Businessman Michael Larissey, Devonport Mayor Steve Martin and of course Independent Member of Parliament Andrew Wilkie – all of whom have worked very hard over a long period of time and shamed the federal government into doing the right thing by Tasmanian workers and businesses.” said Senator Lambie.
“This new money promised by the Federal government must be invested in the Freight Equalisation Scheme immediately. We can’t wait until next year, as some media reports are suggesting – for an injection of additional money. Many hundreds, if not thousands of jobs are dependent on this money being made ASAP.
Delaying access to the extra funds and the restructure of the rules governing which freight is eligible for the subsidy – is only playing petty politics with this serious crisis.
My strong message today to Mr Abbott is, thank you for finally seeing commonsense, but don’t play politics any more. Authorise the rule changes to be carried out now and release the money to Tasmania’s Bass Strait Freight Equalization Scheme.
That’s one down – a few more goals to achieve, I’ll be coming after a complete RET exemption for Tasmanian energy users because we predominantly use Hydro renewable energy and don’t polute with dirty Coal CO2 when we turn on the power switch.
I want $400M for UTAS from the $50B federal government infrastructure fund so that proper investment in university buildings can happen in North and North West Tasmania. The number of associate degrees must be uncapped immediately. It can be done without legislation. UTAS must be allowed to deliver a fair amount of associate degrees. This business of restricting them on the whim of the Education Minister to 60 a year when UTAS asked for 360 is not on.
Like cutting Uni funding by 20%, it’s simply another example of this government trying to hold a political gun to the head of Australia.
I also want confirmation of the Federal money commitment today of $750K to the 2017 Masters Games. It looks like the promises Mr Whiteley made of providing a written statement confirming the Federal cash commitment have been broken once again.” said Senator Lambie.
Resignation of Glen Lazarus
“I wish Glen and his beautiful family all the best. I know how much pressure Glen is under. This will be a very difficult personal time for all.
We’ve worked well together in the past, and I know that we’ll work well in the future. I also know that whatever pressures and problems Glen now faces, he’s a proud Queenslander and a tough man.
Glenn Lazarus will always put Queensland first.His star is about to shine even brighter. Talk of a double disillusion election by Abbott, once again is a sign of desperation and is all about protecting Abbott’s leadership not Australia’s national interest.
Glen’s resignation means that the average workers, the sick, our pensioners, the uni students and disabled will have even more protection in the Senate from this Liberal government which wants to take away so much.” said Senator Lambie.
Tasmanian Freight Equalization Scheme
10 Examples of Lambie’s Freight Fire in the Senate
Freight Speech 1
Matters of Public Importance – Monday 9th Feb
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Put aside the fact that Mr Abbott’s leader in the Senate—our very own Tasmanian Senator Abetz—has twiddled his thumbs and enjoyed the prestige of political office for 21 years and has done absolutely nothing to save the jobs of 10,000 Tasmanian workers that are at risk because of the outrageous Renewable Energy Target and our Bass Strait crisis. Put aside the fact that Senator Abetz has allowed his Liberal Party to put its foot on the throat of the Tasmanian economy by creating a crisis with the Bass Strait shipping and transport costs. Put aside the fact that Senator Abetz and his prime minister are happy for Tasmanian business to be placed at a huge disadvantage compared with the mainland states and to pay unfair and excessive freight charges.
Freight Speech 2
BUSINESS
Consideration of Legislation
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Page: 9978
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As the Senate, we daily choose to debate to pass or not legislation which affects education, health, social security, TPV, RETs, the sky-rocketing costs of electricity and fuel and the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme. But if our nation is not properly secure and our Defence Force has been weakened, either by incompetence or by design, then the best health, education, social security systems in the world will ultimately be off little value to the nation.
Freight Speech 3
ADJOURNMENT
Infrastructure, Renewable Energy Target, Australian Defence Force
Thursday, 27 November 2014
Page: 9634
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Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (20:01): Today I got Christmas tree envy! I walked past the Prime Minister’s office and noticed his magnificent Christmas tree, and I wondered if there was a present or two for the people of Tasmania under Mr Abbott’s tree. So, with Christmas less than a month away, my meeting confirmed with the PM next Monday, and decorations, trees and carols everywhere in Australia’s Parliament House, I thought it would be timely to share with the Senate my Christmas wish-list for Tasmania, just in case a fat jolly man, or even the Prime Minister, were listening and feeling generous. After all, with the Christmas naughty-or-nice list most likely all drawn up, and given that I haven’t upset too many people and done too much wrong this year—or, if I did, it was all in the good cause of putting my Tasmania first—I have every hope that Tasmania and I will end up on the nice side of Santa this Christmas!
One of the reasons Tasmania has found itself in a very difficult economic and social situation with the nation’s youth, and with general unemployment at record highs, is because we have a Bass Strait transport cost crisis.
The cost of transporting products, people, vehicles and machinery across Bass Strait—a state border—is too expensive and unfair when compared to other Australian state borders. I have said this before, but it is worth repeating: if Tasmania is to be treated fairly as a state of Australia, the cost of transporting both domestic and international bound goods and containers, machinery, food and fuel between Hobart and Melbourne should be no more than the cost of transporting a container on a semitrailer between Melbourne and Wagga Wagga on the Hume Highway.
If we are to be treated fairly as a state, the cost of people taking their cars, motor homes, campervans, caravans, motorbikes, greyhounds, racehorses, reindeers and Santa’s sleigh from Devonport to Melbourne or vice versa should be no more than the cost of driving 327 kilometres, give or take, of national highway from Melbourne to Albury.
The distance between the Victorian state border and the Tasmanian state border must be treated by policymakers, premiers and prime ministers as a national highway.
They are not treating it like a national highway. The distance and cost of surface travel between Tasmania and the Australian mainland is a national disgrace, not a national highway, and it is time to fix it. In particular, goods made in Tasmania and shipped to international destinations for export should and must attract the same rate of compensation as goods shipped for domestic destinations. The fact that international bound products fail to attract the same transport compensation rates as products for domestic locations has created a situation where there is a large disincentive for local businesses to value-add products bound for international markets. There are examples of raw products being shipped from Tasmanian to the mainland for value-adding because they attract more money from the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme. Those products are value-added on the mainland and then shipped to international markets.
There should be no financial disincentive to value-add in Tasmania and then export to different countries around the world. I will not accept as a solution to this problem another review—and another review and another review—from the federal government. We have had review after review after review after review. What I want to see is some action and extra cash from this government for the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme. I do not want to see any more reviews; the days of reviews are over.
Freight Speech 4
Resignation from Palmer United Party
STATEMENTS
Palmer United Party
Monday, 24 November 2014
Page: 8967
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Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (10:01): by leave—I rise to inform the Senate of my immediate resignation from the Palmer United Party. I will remain in this place as an independent senator representing my beautiful state of Tasmania to the best of my ability. My decision to serve as an independent senator comes after much thought and after I consulted extensively with my community and family in Tasmania. The message Tasmanians and my family have given me is loud and clear. Indeed, it is almost unanimous. Every Tasmanian I have met has urged me to put the best interests of Tasmania first.
I am now free to negotiate with the government and other members of this parliament in good faith and for the best interests of my Tasmania for reform of the following matters: the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the renewable energy target, and the unfair cost of transporting passengers, freight and goods across Bass Strait.
Freight Speech 5
FIRST SPEECH
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
Page: 6397
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Mr President, I am sad to report that Tasmania now faces an extraordinary economic and social crisis. I think I have been quite clear about this over past weeks. Every indicator shows that my home is the worst performing Australian state in unemployment, education, health, law and order, and aged care—and the list just keeps going on and on. However, that is not to say that there is not reason for optimism. But in order to save lives, jobs, businesses and careers, we need to acknowledge the seriousness of the trouble that we are in. We also need to acknowledge the reason why we have arrived in this unacceptable situation.
One of the greatest causes of our extra levels of economic and social disadvantage and record unemployment in Tasmania is the Bass Strait Transport cost crisis. I have spoken about this crisis a number of times already in this place; however, it is vital that all senators, and the Australian public, clearly understand this matter. We need the support of all Australians to help solve Tasmania’s Bass Strait Transport cost crisis, which has strangled Tasmania’s economic life. Our businesses, workers, families and school leavers have suffered the curse of record unemployment and loss of hope, mostly because of the unfair and exorbitant costs of transporting products, goods and people from one Australian state to another Australian state. Before I briefly outline the details of this injustice, I want to make one very important point. Every Tasmanian senator knows what I am about to say.
Every Tasmanian senator clearly understands the unbearable level of social and economic misery that the extra cost of shipping goods, vehicles, machinery, food, fuel and people 420 kilometres over the ocean has caused Tasmanians—rather than driving 420 kilometres on a national highway. But what I cannot understand is why every Tasmanian senator, especially those who have been in power or are in power now, has chosen to do nothing. In fact, even worse than doing nothing, every Tasmanian senator has turned a blind eye to this outrageous, stinking, filthy injustice. Why is it up to me and the Palmer United Party to find a solution that should have been found 20 years ago? If Tasmanian political leaders had shown foresight and courage over the last two decades, and reformed and boosted the budget of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme by $200 million per annum, then I would not be here today in this place speaking these uncomfortable truths. The solution is clear: if the powers that control the treasury bench do not want an army of Jacqui Lambies in this place, speaking uncomfortable truths and challenging them in the future—then fix the Bass Strait Transport cost crisis.
If Tasmania is to be treated fairly as a state of Australia, the cost of transporting both domestic and international-bound goods in containers—machinery, food, fuel—between Hobart and Melbourne should be no more than the cost of transporting a container on a semitrailer between Melbourne and Wagga Wagga on the Hume Highway. If we are to be treated fairly as a state, the cost of people taking their cars, motorhomes, campervans, caravans, motorbikes, greyhounds or racehorses—or unicorns—from Devonport to Melbourne, or vice versa, should be no more than the cost of driving the 327 kilometres of national highway from Melbourne to Albury. The distance between the Victorian state border and the Tasmanian state border must be treated by policymakers, premiers and prime ministers as a national highway. They are not treating it like a national highway. The cost of surface travel for the distance between Tasmania and the Australian mainland is a national disgrace—not a national highway. It is time to fix this issue.
Freight Speech 6
MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST
Budget, Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Page: 5729
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Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania—Deputy Leader and Deputy Whip of the Palmer United Party in the Senate) (13:46):
I have spoken in this place previously about the need for the federal government to dramatically boost the funds available for the Tasmania Freight Equalisation Scheme. I have also written to the PM and I am still waiting for a reply. Whatever it costs in fuel to transport a shipping container 420 kilometres by road should be the price Tasmanians pay to transport all goods—foods, building products, manufactured products et cetera—across the waters of the Bass Strait. No other state has to incur the extra cost of shipping goods 420 kilometres across the ocean from Tasmania to Victoria, so why should we? Why should we be punished for that?
The transport of all goods to and from Tasmania, including fuel, should be the same as transport on any of Australia’s highways. I, like all other Tasmanian politicians and business leaders, support a national sea highway policy once and for all for the people of my Tasmania.
Freight Speech 7
MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST
Health Care, Veterans’ Affairs, Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Page: 5118
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Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania—Deputy Leader and Deputy Whip of the Palmer United Party in the Senate) (13:34): This is not my first speech. I rise to contribute to today’s matters of public interest discussion. There are four important matters that I will bring to the attention of the Senate chamber in the next 15 minutes. They are of great importance to the people of Tasmania and the nation. They include a threat to the public health, veteran suicides, the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme and the loss of CSIRO forestry research jobs in Tasmania.
Tasmania’s economy and ability to create wealth, jobs and prosperity for future generations has been held to ransom by absurd, over-the-top sea freight charges and ridiculous passenger travel costs.
No state or territory in Australia apart from Tasmania suffers the outrageous logistic costs of simply crossing a border. To travel or trade between Queensland and New South Wales, Australian citizens or businesses simply have to jump in a car or a truck and drive a short distance across an imaginary line on a map—it would cost little more than a tank of fuel—whereas to travel or trade between Tasmania and Victoria, significant costs are incurred because of the 300 to 400 kilometres of open ocean separating the two Australian states. Put simply, travelling over 300 kilometres of open ocean is far more expensive than travelling over 300 kilometres of shiny, well-maintained, expensive mainland roads and infrastructure.
This Prime Minister and his government have promised to spend tens of billions of extra Commonwealth taxpayers’ dollars on these expensive mainland roads and infrastructure, while this federal government is prepared to spend only $120 million on the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme. I will repeat that very important point for members of this chamber and for mainland residents of our country. Our Prime Minister and his Liberal government have promised to spend tens of billions of extra Commonwealth taxpayers’ dollars on mainland roads and infrastructure linking states, while this federal government is prepared to spend only $120 million on the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme, which links us to our mainland counterparts.
Clearly, Tasmania is being unfairly treated by this Liberal government, as it was by the previous Labor government, when the cost of doing business and travel across state borders is compared to other mainland states. Tasmanian businesses, when compared with every other business in other mainland states, are being strangled, smothered and choked by this Liberal-National government and the unavoidable, unique and high costs of open-ocean travel across an Australian state border. So is it any wonder that, as research Professor Henry Reynolds of the University of Tasmania’s Department of History and Classics says, ‘No other state has been so often in depression or experienced such a persistent loss of population.’
All Tasmanians ask in reply to this clear injustice is a comparatively small decrease in mainland infrastructure and road budgets and a modest increase in the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme from $120 million to $300 million.
A reduction of $180 million in the mainland’s infrastructure budget of tens of billions, in addition to the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme, would be a drop in the ocean for mainland states—but it would be a lifeline for those Tasmanian businesses who are fighting like hell to keep their employees in work.
Therefore, I call on—indeed, I demand—every Tasmanian member of this parliament support my call for $180 million of Commonwealth funds to be taken away from mainland road and infrastructure and immediately invested in the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme.
When the scheme’s total annual budget is $300 million, there will be no excuse why the current cost of moving freight and passengers across our border with Victoria cannot halve. When the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme total annual budget is $300 million, there will also be no excuse why all freight—both domestic and export—would attract the support of Commonwealth funding.
If the Bass Strait travel and transport cost crisis is not properly addressed, tens of thousands of jobs—both direct and indirect—are at risk. A relatively modest investment of an extra $180 million into the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme will produce massive benefits to the economy and boost the job security of tens of thousands of Tasmanian workers.
I will be writing a letter to the Prime Minister outlining my, and the Palmer United Party’s, plans for an annual increase of $180 million to the current $120 million scheme, taking it to a total of $300 million per year. I will invite—and expect to receive—the written support of all Tasmanian members of this parliament. Indeed, I will name and shame those Apple Isle members who refuse to support a $300 million Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme.
Question 1
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Tasmania: Boyer Paper Mill
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Page: 9845
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Tasmania: Boyer Paper Mill
Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (14:34): My question without notice is to the senator representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer the senator to a letter to the Joint Commonwealth and Tasmanian Economic Council on behalf of 330 employees at the Boyer Paper Mill and the other 900 Tasmanians who rely directly on the mill’s survival.
The letter notes, ‘A significant cost disadvantage associated with shipping across Bass Strait has been known to the government for many years. But, with respect, the required reforms have yet to be implemented and an immediate solution is required in relation to international export costs if businesses in Tasmania are to survive.’ When did the senator become aware of the letter, and does he agree that the 330 employees jobs at the Boyer Paper Mill and the other 900 Tasmanian jobs that are at risk if an immediate solution to international export costs from Tasmania is not found?
Senator ABETZ (Tasmania—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Employment) (14:35): In my 21 years in the Senate, I have been a very regular visitor to the Boyer mill, engaging with the staff, the management and the workforce. I believe I understand the issues.
The Productivity Commission review into the Bass Strait freight equalisation scheme—a scheme established by a former Liberal government, might I add—found that the biggest problem facing Tasmania was the scourge of the amendments made in relation to coastal shipping.
Senator Carol Brown: That’s not true!
Senator ABETZ: Well, I am sorry—it is recommendation No. 1 from the Productivity Commission.
Senator Carol Brown: You haven’t even responded to the Productivity Commission!
Senator ABETZ: You can shake your head, you can deny the obvious and you can deny the fact but, I am sorry, that is what the Productivity Commission said. We can deny that which the Productivity Commission said, but that is the biggest issue.
The problem that Boyer faces is this: to get a roll of newsprint all the way from New Zealand to Melbourne costs so much less than getting it across Bass Strait. The reason for that is the unduly high cost of coastal shipping around Australia, courtesy of the changes made by the Labor-Green majority in the Senate just a few years ago.
Am I aware of the problems of Bass Strait and the cost impediment to jobs, to Tasmanians? I have been aware of that for 21 years in this place and for many years before that, because the Liberal Party has a very proud tradition—
The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Lambie on a point of order?
Senator Lambie: Yes, a point of order, thanks, Mr President. I just want the question answered.
Honourable senators interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Order on both sides! Senator Lambie, you have the call.
Senator Lambie: Does he have an immediate solution to international export costs from Tasmania?
Honourable senators interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Order! I am taking it as a point of order on relevance, Senator Lambie. You can continue.
Senator Lambie: Does he agree that there are 900 jobs at risk here if an immediate solution is not found? I just want a simple yes or no. Do you understand that? That is all I am asking.
The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Lambie. The question was a little bit more complicated than a simple yes or no. The minister has been answering the question. I call the minister.
Senator ABETZ: As the Productivity Commission review indicated to all Australians and anybody who bothered to read it, there are complex issues in relation to Bass Strait. If anybody had a simple answer, I am sure that it would have been attended to immediately. (Time expired)
Question 2
Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (14:38): Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Once again I refer Senator Abetz to the letter, which says, ‘Specifically we request the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme be expanded to include exports via Melbourne as proposed by the Productivity Commission, and the costs of this transitional assistance would be in the order of an additional $20 million to $25 million per annum.’ Can the minister detail when his government will invest, as requested, the additional $20 million to $25 million per annum into the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme?
Senator ABETZ (Tasmania—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Employment) (14:39): I am sure Senator Lambie would be aware that the state Liberal government is dealing with issues of international export as well from the state of Tasmania and has made moneys available for that exact purpose. Can I also indicate that the government is working methodically through the Productivity Commission report, and that, under the restrained financial circumstances this nation faces—borrowing $1,000 million a month as we speak just to pay the interest on the existing borrowings; completely and utterly unsustainable—money is regrettably in short supply. That is why we as a government are working very methodically through the Productivity Commission review’s recommendations to ascertain what we can do to ensure that we can protect as many jobs as possible and indeed grow job opportunities in our home state of Tasmania.
Question 3
Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (14:40): Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Once again I refer Senator Abetz to the letter, which says, ‘While consistent with their pre-election commitment, the Tasmanian government’s proposed subsidy of $33 million over three years to reinstate a direct international shipping service will not deliver the expected benefits.’ Does the senator agree with that statement regarding the disbenefits of a direct international service?
Senator ABETZ (Tasmania—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Employment) (14:40): Compared to what was on offer under the previous state Labor government, clearly that which the Hodgman government is seeking to deliver is a lot better than what was in place before—namely, nothing. So we do not deal with these things in a vacuum. In relation to the federal component, as I said, we are looking into this. It is a matter of concern. Mr President, as you would personally know, being part of the dynamic Tasmanian Liberal team in Canberra, we, all of us, are working together to achieve a landing in relation to the Freight Equalisation Scheme. I note that the member for Lyons has in fact been in the media in recent days absolutely—
Senator Lambie: Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. I just wanted a simple yes or no on the statement regarding the disbenefits of a direct international service. That is all I want to know. Yes or no: do you agree there should be a direct international service?
The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Lambie. I think the minister was answering that component of your question.
Senator ABETZ: A lot of exporters are saying that they would like support to get their export product from Tasmania to Melbourne so that they would have an array and choice of international shipping services. (Time expired)
Rob Messenger
