Federal election 2016: Joyce links cattle ban to more boats

Indonesia’s former foreign minister dismisses as ‘patently false’ any link between the live export ban and the refugee arrivals.

Richard Di Natale, Barnaby Joyce and Joel Fitzgibbon before the regional leaders debate in Goulburn last night. Picture: Ray Strange

Barnaby Joyce has linked the 2011 live cattle export ban to Indonesia to the increased number of refugee boats that arrived in ­Australia after the suspension, during a ­regional leaders debate in Goulburn last night.

In a rural affairs debate between the Coalition, Labor and the Greens, the Deputy Prime Minister launched a scathing attack on the Gillard government’s decision to suspend live exports and suggested it had affected Australia’s relationship with Indonesia.

LIVE: More on Barnaby Joyce, plus full election 2016 coverage continues here.

The attack outraged Greens leader Richard Di Natale, who asked Mr Joyce: “Do you realise you are suggesting the Indonesian government then unleashed the boats in response?’’

The comment was immediately dismissed by the Indonesian embassy in Canberra.

“There is no link between the policy of live export ban and the increased numbers of boats into Australia,” a spokesman told AAP.

“Indonesia was and remains committed to being a part of the regional solution to the common challenge we are facing of people smuggling.”

And former Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa has dismissed as “patently false” any suggestion of a link between the live cattle trade and the flow of asylum-seekers.

“At best, it represents an over analysis of the subject,” Dr Natalegawa said, according to Fairfax Media.

“Worse still, it is shocking to suggest that the Indonesian government would risk the safety and lives of innocent asylum-seekers in making the treacherous journey to Australia simply to make a point.”

Dr Natalegawa, who was in office at the time, said the governments had direct and effective channels of communication to discuss and resolve both issues.

Mr Joyce’s independent rival, Tony Windsor, attacked the Deputy Prime Minister’s claims as “reckless and offensive”.

“Implying that the temporary suspension of the live export trade to Indonesia resulted in an influx of people seeking asylum from Indonesia is reckless and offensive. This is politics of the worst kind,” Mr Windsor said in a statement today.

Mr Windsor, who was the MP for New England at the time of the cattle ban, said a one-month suspension of the live export trade enjoyed “widespread support in the parliament, including by the Nationals”.

“The live export trade was temporarily shut down for one month because of inhumane and disgraceful treatment of Australian cattle in Indonesia. These were not the standards we would accept for Australian cattle,” he said.

As Senator Di Natale maintained the Greens’ opposition to live exports, Labor’s agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon last night ­released a six-point plan to guarantee animal welfare, including a $3 million promise over the ­forward estimates to establish an independent inspector-general of animal welfare.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the Gillard government’s suspension of live exports was the third time a government had suspended the trade.

The Howard government had suspended it the first two times but he said the regulatory regimen Labor had implemented would mean it would not happen again.

Mr Joyce and Mr Fitzgibbon both opposed Senator Di Natale’s push to abolish the live trade.

“There are many producers in the north that can’t grow their cattle to slaughter weight,’’ Mr Fitzgibbon said. “Barnaby was right that the live trade does produce competition, which tends to help producers with their prices …

“I’ve done the whole supply chain in Indonesia; the technology is not there, Richard, to do the ­frozen stuff. The fact is the market wants fresh meat. They are ­demanding that.’’

In a rare act of agreement, the three leaders combined to attack Coles over its $1-per-litre milk promo­tion as they discussed the crisis in the dairy industry.

In an at-times acrimonious debate, the MPs clashed on internet speeds, the future of the coal ­industry and the budget deficit.

But in response to Senator Di Natale’s declaration that the government needed to ensure fast ­internet speeds in ­regional areas to help farmers participate in what was becoming a 21st-century ­industry, Mr Joyce accused the Greens of wanting to reintroduce death duties to pay for it.

“That’s a lie,’’ Senator Di Natale said. “He needs to be called out on that. That is an outrageous lie.’’

“When did you get rid of the death duties policy?’’ Mr Joyce asked. “2012,’’ the senator replied.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the Gillard government’s NBN proposal had carried an “important’’ measure that the wholesale access would be equal, “whether you lived in the capital cities or deep rural Australia’’.

“Barnaby wants to get rid of that equalisation and people in ­regional Australia will be paying more,’’ Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Mr Joyce disputed this.