Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank members who have contributed to the National Cattle Disease Eradication Account Amendment Bill 2006the members for Corio, Blair, Lingiari and Maranoa. The conclusion of the Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program, TFAP, at the end of this year will mark a significant milestone. Successive campaigns over a number of years have resulted in both brucellosis and tuberculosis being considered to be eradicated in Australia. However, ongoing vigilance will still be required for these and a number of other diseases. The National Cattle Disease Eradication Account, NCDEA, has played an important role by holding the moneys used to fund the tuberculosis program and previous initiatives. These funds have been contributed by the cattle and buffalo industries through charges on export of cattle and buffalo and levies on cattle transactions and slaughter of cattle. I stress that funds held in the NCDEA have been derived solely from industry levies and charges and the interest on those moneys.

In anticipation of the completion of the Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program, the cattle and buffalo industries have requested that residual funds in the National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account be transferred into the more broadly focused Cattle Disease Contingency Fund. This legislation is required to enable the transfer to take place. The cattle and buffalo industries are very aware that, although the threats posed by brucellosis and TB have been reduced, other diseases could have a significant impact on their herds. Transfer of NCDEA funds to the CDCF will ensure that these moneys can be used for a wider range of purposes related to cattle health and diseases while still retaining the ability to fund any future activities related to bovine tuberculosis or brucellosis.

There are a number of safeguards to protect the use of the funds. These include the fact that the Cattle Disease Contingency Fund is a trust fund. The CDCF was established in 2002 by the Cattle Council of Australia, the Australian Lot Feeders Association and Animal Health Australia in recognition of the ongoing importance of biosecurity matters. The provisions of a trust deed that these bodies have signed outline the financial accountability of the trustee and specifies the use to which fund moneys can be put. Hopefully we can therefore allay concerns the opposition has expressed that this move will reduce the scrutiny and accountability in the use of the funds. That clearly will not be the case.

While the legislation allows the transfer of NCDEA funds to the CDCF, I can assure you that this will not occur unless the trustee can demonstrate that full accountability for these funds will be maintained. I anticipate that this will be achieved through an agreement between the trustee and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, which currently administers the NCDEA. The bill enables any funds in excess of what will be required in the future for brucellosis and TB programs to be used in the ongoing work of building a strong biosecurity framework for the Australian buffalo and cattle industries. It has the full support of these industries and will foster their ability to play an active role in maintaining Australia’s animal health status.

In conclusion, I congratulate the cattle and buffalo industry on its management of disease risk in its herds and its proactive approach on this issue. It is recognition that the focus has shifted now from diseases which are largely of the past to those of the future, which we obviously have less knowledge about, but we need to maintain security and obviously sufficient funds in accounts should a disease risk occur. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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