15th Aug 2018, 4:36 PM – Representatives Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Amendment Bill 2017 - Second Reading - Reaffirm commitment to Australia's shipping industry

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion to agree with the bill's main idea - in parliamentary jargon, "That the bill be read a second time" - which means the amendment failed and the second reading motion will remain unchanged.

Amendment text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1) notes that during the current Government’s tenure 12 previously Australian-flagged vessels have been reflagged to foreign States—in each case the Australian flag has been lowered and replaced with the white flag when it comes to Australian jobs;

(2) further notes that:

(a) the consultations associated with preparation of the bill were negligible, the Minister failed to build bipartisan support for the changes he has brought before the Parliament, and the Government is attempting to tilt the 'playing field' further in favour of foreign operators to the detriment of Australian-based shipping companies and other domestic modes of transport, including rail; and

(b) the Government's true intentions are confirmed in the bill's Regulation Impact Statement, which on page 9 reads '...the current framework makes it unattractive for foreign ships to enter the coastal trading sector' and on page 14 reads 'These amendments ... will remove the barriers that currently face many foreign flagged vessels under the current system'; and

(3) reaffirms that Australia’s vital economic, environment and national security interests are best served when there is a viable, competitive and growing local shipping industry."