Ms MARTIN - 2001-06-26
Last night in federal parliament, Senator Kerry O’Brien raised a number of disturbing matters regarding your conduct in the Philippines during meetings in 1999. Among the allegations raised were that you deliberately caused offence to the Filipino Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Angara, by dumping a box of Territory mangoes on his desk and, as a direct result, severe restrictions were placed on Australia’s live cattle and beef exports to the Philippines allowing New Zealand and other countries to gain a foothold in our market, costing Australian and Territory cattle growers millions of dollars.
Minister, these are extremely serious allegations. Just what did happen in the Philippines during your meeting with Secretary Angara in November 1999?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am glad the Leader of the Opposition asked this question because it gives me the chance to put on the record a refutation of a number of scurrilous accusations that have been made over a period of time, especially those emanating from the ABC.
Members interjecting.
Mr PALMER: Well, that is where they are coming from.
In October 1999, I think it was, I attended the PAD3 dialogue in Cebu City, which is a Philippines/Australian dialogue, at the invitation of the organisers of that dialogue. Amongst the attendees was indeed Secretary Edgardo Angara who was then Secretary of Agriculture; Secretary Siazon, the Foreign Minister, who was there along with Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer; myself; and a number of leading business representatives of both the Philippines and Australia.
Amongst those representatives was one Cito Lorenzo, who is probably one of the world’s leading agriculturists. He, in one facility alone, picks and packs 3000 t of pineapples a day. He owns a company called Lapanday Farms, which supplies 40% of the bananas that go into Japan and 40% of the bananas supplied to China.
This is very important dialogue. I did take, with the proper quarantine clearances, three boxes of Northern Territory mangoes to the Philippines with the express wish to offer some Northern Territory hospitality, and also to demonstrate what sort of quality would be required. The Philippines at that time was looking to put mangoes on the Australian market. I placed a mango on each of the desks. They are what we call the Celebration mango, very beautifully presented fruit, very peachy in colour, and as you recall, Mr Speaker, a high-class fruit. Senator Angara was most impressed with this fruit, as was Siazon, as was the rest of the Filipino delegation.
Over a period of time, I have developed a very close relationship with Ed Angara, commencing with a meeting with him at a Territory property called Carbeen Park some years ago when he was head of the Filipino Central Bank. He progressed from there to become Secretary of Agriculture.
Because of the perceived problem in the Philippines about gaining access to the Australian market in that they had sought quarantine clearance or risk assessments on pineapples, bananas and mangoes, the Filipino government was informed by Australia that it could only do one assessment at a time, and each of those assessments could take up to five years. So indeed, to get both bananas and pineapples, or the potential to export bananas and pineapples into Australia, given that the risk assessment was properly undertaken and there was no risk to the Australian industry, it could take up to 10 years.
So Senator Angara decided that a bit of pressure needed to be brought on the Australian industry and the Australian government, and as a result, there was a severe downturn in the number of permits issued for the importation of live cattle into the Philippines, which was then Australia’s major agricultural export.
In June last year, after having discussions with Minister Vaile, I flew to the Philippines. I had a private meeting at the home of Senator Angara in relation to this issue. Some short time later, Senator Angara made a public statement that the issue had been resolved.
At that meeting, I agreed with Senator Angara that I would not take any credit for it - any public credit - Angara would just say he had solved the problem with Australia and he and Mark Vaile made a joint press release.
In October or November last year, I accompanied the Chief Minister to the Philippines. At a number of meetings, a number of public forums - including in front of the President - Senator Angara referred to me as ‘his friend’ and Senator Angara publicly thanked me for my efforts in resolving that trade dispute.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr PALMER: Senator Angara has said in the Philippines and in Australia on a number of occasions that it was ‘your Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries that directly fixed the problem’. This is not ...
Ms Martin: Caused the problem!
Mr PALMER: ... a sign of causing the problem. Angara has denied on numerous occasions that was the cause of the problem. The Australian Philippine Business Council denies it caused the problem. The Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Manila denies that was the problem. We put it directly to the Australian Embassy; they denied that was the problem. Senator Angara, who imposed the trade restrictions, denies it was the problem. Apparently you and the ABC are the only people in the entire world who see that that was the problem. Senator Angara imposed the trade restrictions; Senator Angara lifted the trade restrictions; and at no time does he blame his mate Mick!
Minister, these are extremely serious allegations. Just what did happen in the Philippines during your meeting with Secretary Angara in November 1999?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am glad the Leader of the Opposition asked this question because it gives me the chance to put on the record a refutation of a number of scurrilous accusations that have been made over a period of time, especially those emanating from the ABC.
Members interjecting.
Mr PALMER: Well, that is where they are coming from.
In October 1999, I think it was, I attended the PAD3 dialogue in Cebu City, which is a Philippines/Australian dialogue, at the invitation of the organisers of that dialogue. Amongst the attendees was indeed Secretary Edgardo Angara who was then Secretary of Agriculture; Secretary Siazon, the Foreign Minister, who was there along with Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer; myself; and a number of leading business representatives of both the Philippines and Australia.
Amongst those representatives was one Cito Lorenzo, who is probably one of the world’s leading agriculturists. He, in one facility alone, picks and packs 3000 t of pineapples a day. He owns a company called Lapanday Farms, which supplies 40% of the bananas that go into Japan and 40% of the bananas supplied to China.
This is very important dialogue. I did take, with the proper quarantine clearances, three boxes of Northern Territory mangoes to the Philippines with the express wish to offer some Northern Territory hospitality, and also to demonstrate what sort of quality would be required. The Philippines at that time was looking to put mangoes on the Australian market. I placed a mango on each of the desks. They are what we call the Celebration mango, very beautifully presented fruit, very peachy in colour, and as you recall, Mr Speaker, a high-class fruit. Senator Angara was most impressed with this fruit, as was Siazon, as was the rest of the Filipino delegation.
Over a period of time, I have developed a very close relationship with Ed Angara, commencing with a meeting with him at a Territory property called Carbeen Park some years ago when he was head of the Filipino Central Bank. He progressed from there to become Secretary of Agriculture.
Because of the perceived problem in the Philippines about gaining access to the Australian market in that they had sought quarantine clearance or risk assessments on pineapples, bananas and mangoes, the Filipino government was informed by Australia that it could only do one assessment at a time, and each of those assessments could take up to five years. So indeed, to get both bananas and pineapples, or the potential to export bananas and pineapples into Australia, given that the risk assessment was properly undertaken and there was no risk to the Australian industry, it could take up to 10 years.
So Senator Angara decided that a bit of pressure needed to be brought on the Australian industry and the Australian government, and as a result, there was a severe downturn in the number of permits issued for the importation of live cattle into the Philippines, which was then Australia’s major agricultural export.
In June last year, after having discussions with Minister Vaile, I flew to the Philippines. I had a private meeting at the home of Senator Angara in relation to this issue. Some short time later, Senator Angara made a public statement that the issue had been resolved.
At that meeting, I agreed with Senator Angara that I would not take any credit for it - any public credit - Angara would just say he had solved the problem with Australia and he and Mark Vaile made a joint press release.
In October or November last year, I accompanied the Chief Minister to the Philippines. At a number of meetings, a number of public forums - including in front of the President - Senator Angara referred to me as ‘his friend’ and Senator Angara publicly thanked me for my efforts in resolving that trade dispute.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr PALMER: Senator Angara has said in the Philippines and in Australia on a number of occasions that it was ‘your Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries that directly fixed the problem’. This is not ...
Ms Martin: Caused the problem!
Mr PALMER: ... a sign of causing the problem. Angara has denied on numerous occasions that was the cause of the problem. The Australian Philippine Business Council denies it caused the problem. The Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Manila denies that was the problem. We put it directly to the Australian Embassy; they denied that was the problem. Senator Angara, who imposed the trade restrictions, denies it was the problem. Apparently you and the ABC are the only people in the entire world who see that that was the problem. Senator Angara imposed the trade restrictions; Senator Angara lifted the trade restrictions; and at no time does he blame his mate Mick!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016