Senator McGAURAN (2:31 PM) —My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ian Macdonald. Will the minister outline to the Senate how Australia's primary producers are likely to be involved in the humanitarian contribution the government is making to assist the Iraqi people, and will the minister outline the long-term prospects for Australia's wheat trade in the Middle East?

Senator IAN MACDONALD (Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) —I thank Senator McGauran for that very important question. Those of us on this side do have a very great interest in the reconstruction of Iraq when hostilities cease. Whilst the Australian government is involved in the international effort to disarm Iraq, the Australian government is already engaged in a variety of ways to meet the immediate needs of the Iraqi people—some of which will involve Australia's primary producers, Senator McGauran. We have provided an additional $17½ million to UN humanitarian agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Australian non-government organisations for humanitarian assistance. In addition, Australia will supply 100,000 metric tonnes of Australian wheat to support the provision of urgent food aid to the Iraqi people. Australian wheat is already on ships in the gulf, and these humanitarian supplies can be delivered as soon as ports and other distribution points are secured. We are working very hard on getting shipments into Iraq and distributing them as quickly as possible.

We are also looking to Iraq's future needs and we are deeply engaged with the United Nations, the British government and the American government on post conflict reconstruction issues. Assisting with the economic rehabilitation of Iraq is a top priority, and agriculture is certainly a sector where Australia can make a very effective contribution. Australia and Iraq have more than 50 years of agricultural links through the supply of wheat, which we know about—and, as well, meat and dairy products have also been the subject of trade between the two countries. We have also done some considerable work in assisting Iraq in the dryland farming area, where we have a particular expertise that we are able to help the Iraqis with. This has occurred through tough times of aggravated political difficulties and actual military hostilities.

Over the past 50 years, Australian farmers have been a supplier of very reliable, high-quality wheat to the Iraqi people, and we expect this supply to continue once a democratic and just regime is in place in Iraq. We have already identified Australian agricultural experts to assist with planning and will ensure that these experts can be deployed to Iraq once the security situation allows them to enter that country. These steps will ensure that Australia's agricultural industries are well placed to retain previous trade arrangements and well placed to identify new trade opportunities in the Middle East as they occur.