Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all members for their contributions on the Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment Bill 2022—particularly the member for Riverina, who has just concluded his speech, and the member for Sturt, who seems to be popping up on all manner of bills towards the end of the speaking list today.

The Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 of course amends funding legislation for Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia. The bill will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of legislation dealing with the payment and use of biosecurity levies, which these organisations manage on behalf of their industry members. The bill will facilitate industry parties to future emergency biosecurity response deeds using the same levy arrangements available to industry parties to the existing plant and animal deeds. It will offer increased flexibility to plant industry members in the spending of their emergency response levies.

The bill will reduce administrative burden and improve clarity by removing redundant provisions. It will simplify and give an appropriate level of oversight to the process of identifying relevant plant industry members for a particular leviable plant product. These prudent and needed changes will contribute to the ability of industries to sustainably fund their biosecurity plans, contribute to eradication responses, and, of course, ensure that Australia's biosecurity regime continues to protect Australia's unique agriculture, environment and way of life. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.

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