Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

In summing up, I note that the Biological Control Amendment Bill 2016 amends the Biological Control Act 1984 to support national programs for the biological control of damaging pests and weeds. It will provide greater certainty for stakeholders who research, deliver and benefit from biological control programs, including scientists, farmers, land managers and the community. Biological control agents have been used successfully in Australia in the past and will continue to be an important tool for controlling pests and weeds and for mitigating their impact on the economy, environment and community.

The bill amends the act by clarifying the definition of an organism to specifically include viruses and subviral agents. The definition of an organism is a matter of ongoing scientific debate, and the amendments will remove any ambiguity, making it clear into the future that, despite scientific debate, the act is intended to support the declaration of viruses as agents and targets for biological control activities. Viruses are proven and effective agents for biological control: the combination of myxoma virus and calicivirus continues to suppress wild rabbit populations to 15 per cent of their potential numbers, saving our agricultural industries up to $2 billion every year.

The act is part of a mirror legislation scheme, and the Commonwealth will continue to work with the states and the Northern Territory to ensure that there is a nationally consistent approach.

There is broad community support for the use of biological control agents as part of an integrated approach to managing pest animals and weeds. The bill does not change the existing basic scientific, technical or safety features and standards applying to biological control. Biological control agents will continue to be subject to considerable testing prior to release in Australia.

The bill will support the Australian government's $1.2 million commitment to support the rollout of a new strain of rabbit calicivirus. This is part of a long-term national program to mitigate the significant environmental and economic impacts wrought by rabbits. That said, I commend the bill to the House.

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