24th Oct 2019, 12:24 PM – Representatives Customs Amendment (Product Specific Rule Modernisation) Bill 2019 - Second Reading - Trade and bipartisan support

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion, which is that the bill be read for a second time (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). The amendment was introduced by Brand MP Madeleine King (Labor).

Motion 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:

(a) that the focus of the Government's trade priorities in the short, medium, and long term should be to diversify Australia's trading relationships in order to balance against further external economic shocks; and

(b) the government's failure to allow the Productivity Commission to conduct independent modelling of bilateral trade agreements prior to ratification; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) proactively engage with the Opposition on trade matters, maintaining bipartisanship in the trade portfolio in the face of increasing global economic uncertainty; and

(b) reaffirm Australia's support for a multilateral trade system, including continuing engagement with international trade institutions such as the World Trade Organisation".