Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Agriculture has provided the following answer to the honourable member’s question:

(1) No.

(2) It is not appropriate to comment on matters that may or may not be under assessment with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

(3) It is difficult to estimate when both regulatory and criminal investigations into complaints of ESCAS breaches in Gaza will be concluded. There are a number of issues and stakeholders to consider with a large volume of information to analyse and subsequent enquiries to be conducted. ESCAS investigations typically take several months to complete partly due to (in addition to the large volumes of information) evidence and witnesses being located overseas. The investigations are ongoing.

(4) (a) The department has 41 staff in the investigations unit.

(b) All allegations received relating to possible ESCAS breaches, whether it be of a criminal or regulatory compliance nature, are currently in progress.

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