Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the best committee in the House, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources, I present the committee's report titled Supporting a strong future for Australian aquaculture: Australian aquaculture sector, together with the minutes of proceedings.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—On behalf of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources, I wish to make a few remarks on the committee's report on the Australian aquaculture sector which has just been presented. Australian aquaculture is a growing industry and has a strong, positive outlook. As the world's growing population brings increased demand for food, aquaculture is well positioned to meet the ever-growing desire for fish. This is particularly important when wild stocks are under pressure from overfishing.

Unlocking the full potential of Australian aquaculture requires barriers to growth to be identified and addressed. The committee has sought to make constructive suggestions to help clear any hurdles standing in the way of the industry's development. Australian aquaculture already has a reputation for producing premium product, and further improvements will strengthen our market position. An expanding Australian aquaculture sector will help satisfy Australians' appetite for good quality seafood. It will also boost exports and provide thousands of additional jobs, especially in regional areas.

Innovation is a key to the expansion of output and increased domestic and global market share for our producers. The report discusses a range of new innovative approaches. A particularly interesting example is aquaculture in offshore locations. With the appropriate technological advancements, offshore agriculture could open up an exciting new horizon for the industry and contribute to increases in total production.

Aquaculture, like all industries, has its share of challenges and potential barriers to growth. The report has made a number of recommendations with the aim of overcoming these barriers. The issue of biosecurity and potential threats from imported disease stands out as a key issue both for the industry and for regulators. Strong biosecurity regulations are imperative for the growth of aquaculture. They provide assurance for investors and protect Australia's reputation for high-quality product. In addition, responding to consumer and community concerns about environmental standards and ecological sustainability of aquaculture needs to be a high priority. This is an issue for producers themselves and for government. Future growth in the sector also depends upon the capacity to attract and retain skilled and unskilled workers. The report highlights the importance of education and upgraded skills to manage new and innovative technologies.

Another important issue discussed in the report is the labelling of seafood to show its country of origin. The committee has pinpointed some flaws and standards that could cause confusion. Australian consumers cannot be sure whether the fish they are buying at their local fish and chip shop is Australian fish or imported fish. An example is barramundi, which is often actually imported Asian sea bass. The report therefore emphasises that Australian country-of-origin labelling rules for fish need to be addressed.

More generally, inconsistent Commonwealth, state and territory legislation and regulations can adversely affect the aquaculture sector. Governments need to keep up efforts to streamline processes and reduce red tape. The committee supports one-stop-shop models of regulation management to reduce duplication and streamline regulatory approval processes.

I'd like to conclude with some words of thanks. The committee is grateful to the organisations and individuals who made submissions to the inquiry and to those who appeared at public hearings. Your contributions were vital to the committee's efforts to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the issues facing the aquaculture sector. I'd also like to thank my colleagues on the committee for their involvement in the inquiry and their constructive contributions to the report and its recommendations. Finally, let me express my appreciation for the hard work of the secretariat in supporting the committee. I particularly want to mention the committee secretary, Jenny Adams, and the inquiry secretary, Kathleen McGarry, who put together an outstanding report. Kathleen then left on maternity leave, and I wish Kathleen all the very best. I commend the report to the House.

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