David Feeney (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Justice) Share this | Hansard source

Can I extend my thanks and congratulations to the member for La Trobe for bringing forward this motion, and can I acknowledge the work of the former Labor member for Wills, Kelvin Thomson, who has been a stalwart advocate for the appropriate labelling of palm oil.

Like my colleagues, I rise today to call on the government to amend food-labelling laws for products sold in Australia, to ensure products clearly state when they contain palm oil. Palm oil finds its way into around 50 per cent of the items we buy at the supermarket. However, the vast majority of Australians do not know they are purchasing items containing palm oil, because of misleading labelling—in many instances it is generically labelled as vegetable oil. Clear and accurate labelling of products is in line with the community's desire to make informed choices when it comes to the products they buy.

Palm oil production can have serious environmental impacts. This is particularly the case in South-East Asia where palm oil production has expanded exponentially and, for the most part, in a way that is unsustainable. Palm oil production has led to widespread deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia, putting already endangered species like orangutans, tigers and elephants in further danger of extinction. Orangutans in particular have been disappearing at a shocking rate as a result of deforestation. Palm oil production currently contributes to the death of around 1,000 orangutans each and every year. I know that I and many in my electorate would like to be able to make an informed, ethical choice when it comes to environmentally unsuitable products. Clear labelling of palm oil will allow consumers to use their buying power to advocate for sustainable practices.

Palm oil consumption also has significant health implications. Palm oil is made up of over 50 per cent saturated fat and can be found in around 40 per cent of our food products. Added fats, sugars and vegetable oils cause significant health risks when consumed in excess. They can lead to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers. Saturated fats are a major cause of coronary heart disease, and we know that Australians already consume about twice the amount of saturated fat that they should. We all know that we need to limit our intake of certain fats and sugars, but how can we do that effectively if we do not what kinds of sugars, fats and oils are in the food we eat? To make informed decisions, we need clear information on food labels. Whether it is a nutritional decision or an ethical one, Australians deserve to know whether palm oil is contained in the products they buy.

Action on this issue began all the way back in 2009 when it was agreed by Australia and New Zealand to undertake a comprehensive review of food-labelling laws and policies. The resulting report, Labelling Logic, recommended that added sugars, fats and vegetable oils must be clearly labelled. That report is now some five years ago. Tens of thousands of Australians have spoken out against unsustainable palm oil production through petitions, polls and campaigns like Zoos Victoria's Don't Palm Us Off. The government must act in line with community expectations and implement the Labelling Logic recommendation as a matter of urgency. The government must act to ensure that palm oil is clearly and accurately labelled on our food and other products. Through proper labelling we can begin to make healthier and more environmentally friendly choices. This is a win-win proposition: good for the environment, good for consumers and good for the health of Australians. On that basis, it requires action from this parliament.

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