John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

That is a very good question, member for Hunter, because I notice that when you made your contribution you invited him to come into this chamber and make a statement. While we are fortunate that our geographic isolation provides a natural defence against exotic diseases, keeping threats away from our borders requires eternal vigilance on the part of the minister. That is why we are going to move Simon Crean’s amendment when we get into government. That is why it is so important to do it. We are entitled to have serious concerns about the Howard government’s lack of vigilance with respect to quarantine procedures. Scientists have claimed that at least three deadly contagious bird diseases have bypassed Australian quarantine controls. Other exotic diseases which have been reported in Australia on the Howard government’s watch include fire ants in 2001, small hive beetle in 2002, citrus canker in 2004 and sugarcane smut in 2006. What a record! Now we can add equine influenza in 2007.

Oh, here is my good friend the Prime Minister, right on queue, coming into the House.

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