❓ Opposition questions Minister about meeting with AMIEU regarding live sheep exports, implying a conflict of interest due to the union's stance. Minister denies discussing live exports, stating the meeting focused on WA Meat Industry Authority board representation.
AnsweredQoN 710Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
LIVE EXPORT —
MEAT INDUSTRY WORKERS — UNION REPRESENTATION
710. Hon BEN DAWKINS to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the minister's
answer to yesterday's question without notice, conceding that at some
stage she met with the meatworkers' union. I would suggest that this
was the Australian Labor Party–affiliated and ALP-donor union the
Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union.
I refer to AMIEU's statement
on its website, which says —
The
AMIEU has been working with animal welfare groups since 2007 � to put a stop to
live animal exports .
At the minister's recently
disclosed meeting with the AMIEU, did it ask the minister to support or oppose
a ban on live sheep exports?
The
PRESIDENT : I will ask the
minister to attempt to answer that question; however, the point of questions
without notice is that ministers are reasonably expected to be able to
answer the question, and your question goes beyond a certain timeframe. I will
give the minister the opportunity to attempt to answer it, but you may not
reasonably expect an answer.
MEAT INDUSTRY WORKERS — UNION REPRESENTATION
710. Hon BEN DAWKINS to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the minister's
answer to yesterday's question without notice, conceding that at some
stage she met with the meatworkers' union. I would suggest that this
was the Australian Labor Party–affiliated and ALP-donor union the
Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union.
I refer to AMIEU's statement
on its website, which says —
The
AMIEU has been working with animal welfare groups since 2007 � to put a stop to
live animal exports .
At the minister's recently
disclosed meeting with the AMIEU, did it ask the minister to support or oppose
a ban on live sheep exports?
The
PRESIDENT : I will ask the
minister to attempt to answer that question; however, the point of questions
without notice is that ministers are reasonably expected to be able to
answer the question, and your question goes beyond a certain timeframe. I will
give the minister the opportunity to attempt to answer it, but you may not
reasonably expect an answer.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, President. As I noted
yesterday, I met with a union representative from a meat industry union. I do
not know of that union. I recommended yesterday that, if the member put the
question on notice, I would check my diary. He did not put a question on
notice, so I have not checked my diary in the time in between.
I can tell the member that when I did
meet with one union official from a meatworkers' union, it was in
relation to discussing the Western Australian
Meat Industry Authority and the fact that we require a representative on the board. I have never discussed anything to do
with live export with a meatworkers' union. As I noted y esterday, I had a meeting with a union
representative. My understanding is that several unions on the east coast
represent meatworkers. My understanding is that in WA there is one FTE who
provides that support. I met with that person. I have never discussed live
exports with that person. It was specifically a discussion about the Western Australian
Meat Industry Authority and a vacant board position.
yesterday, I met with a union representative from a meat industry union. I do
not know of that union. I recommended yesterday that, if the member put the
question on notice, I would check my diary. He did not put a question on
notice, so I have not checked my diary in the time in between.
I can tell the member that when I did
meet with one union official from a meatworkers' union, it was in
relation to discussing the Western Australian
Meat Industry Authority and the fact that we require a representative on the board. I have never discussed anything to do
with live export with a meatworkers' union. As I noted y esterday, I had a meeting with a union
representative. My understanding is that several unions on the east coast
represent meatworkers. My understanding is that in WA there is one FTE who
provides that support. I met with that person. I have never discussed live
exports with that person. It was specifically a discussion about the Western Australian
Meat Industry Authority and a vacant board position.
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