Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the chair to add to an answer.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister may proceed.

Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During question time today, the member for Hotham asked me to confirm that, in November 2005, I agreed to the release of three horses imported from France, including one named Reign of Fire, and that this was done outside the normal allowable period determined by AQIS. The member for Hotham then asked if these horses travelled to Sydney and Newcastle race meetings. I have received advice from AQIS and can advise as follows. AQIS records show that, on 4 October 2005, three horses were indeed imported from France into Melbourne. The member for Hotham got that right—but wait. The horses were imported under standard import conditions relating to the temporary importation of horses. These standard conditions required, amongst other things, that at the end of their two weeks quarantine at Spotswood quarantine station in Melbourne they would be released under quarantine surveillance. The three horses from France were released as scheduled on 19 October 2005—in other words, at the completion of their 14-day confinement.

I wish to state categorically to the House that standard procedures were followed at all times. The temporary import permit was issued in the normal manner by the relevant AQIS officer and neither I, my office nor anyone acting on my behalf directed AQIS in any way. I was blissfully unaware of these three horses imported temporarily from France and quarantined at Spotswood.

However, I can also advise the House that the member for Hotham has incorrectly fingered a six-year-old Western Australian bay stallion in his question to me today. And, on his behalf, I apologise to the owners and breeders of Reign of Fire, the Byrne-Quinns. In fact, the horses that the member for Hotham referred to were in Australia from France to perform in a theatrical and equestrian extravaganza known as Cavalcade—Reins of Fire. It was not a horse called Reign of Fire, which is a stallion over in Western Australia, but an equestrian event—a show called Cavalcade—Reins of Fire. Not one of the three horses is called Reins of Fire, and none of them are here for breeding or racing purposes; they are here for show purposes. They performed at five venues around Australia from 1 to 20 November 2005.

In answer to the member for Hotham’s final question as to whether the horses subsequently travelled to Newcastle and Sydney race meetings, I can confirm that Cavalcade—Reins of Fire performed at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre and the Sydney Entertainment Centre, quite a long way, in logic and in distance, from the racetracks in Newcastle and Sydney. I think it was lazy research by the member for Hotham.

Let me recap. The implication is that I intervened to short-circuit the quarantine requirements. Wrong. I did not even know the horses were here; I would never do such a thing, and AQIS never did such a thing. Secondly, the member for Hotham implied one of them was a racehorse and he raced at the Newcastle and Sydney racetracks. No, there is no racehorse amongst these three called Reign of Fire. There is a horse in Western Australia called that—poor thing, being dragged into this parliamentary debate—but the show is called Reins of Fire.

A little bit of research by the member for Hotham would have revealed all this—it is all on the internet because the show was documented by way of photo and commentary by the owner, Mr Jean-Marc Imbert. It is a great website; it has photos. It has a photo of the Cathay Pacific plane that brought the stars to Australia. It has a commentary on the journey of the horses and then it has a description of the horses. Nikito is a crossbred gelding. He is a 21-year-old. I do not think he was racing at Newcastle or Sydney. Then there is the stallion Yelo. He is a crossbreed. He is seven years old and he was not initially going to come to Australia but the horse marked to come to Australia by Jean-Marc had too high a blood count. I do not think Yelo, who is a crossbreed, was racing in Sydney or Newcastle. Finally, there is a chestnut trotting-bred gelding. He was not going to race with the thoroughbreds at Newcastle.

Moreover, the catalogue put together in stories and pictures by Jean-Marc Imbert, who obviously loves his horses and was the director and no doubt a participant in the show, details their quarantine issues, compliments Australian quarantine authorities and talks about their two-week stay in the Spotswood quarantine station. In part of this commentary to accompany the photos, Jean-Marc says this, lovingly reproduced for the public interest:

We will settle in and allow the horses to rest after their long trip and then we begin rehearsals for the show. I am sure Australian audiences will love what we have for them, we travel all over Europe and our performances are very popular.

So, Member for Hotham, apologies are in order here. Firstly, we have an implication that somehow the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry intervened in the early release of three racehorses and, secondly, that one of them was Reign of Fire. Poor old Reign of Fire; he looks like a nice horse. He is a six-year-old bay stallion in Western Australia owned by Mr and Mrs Byrne-Quinn and trained by Bernadine Dudley. I offer them my heartfelt apology that the member for Hotham has tried to drag them into his smutty little attack on the minister for agriculture. So there you are. How does the member for Hotham explain this: Reins of Fire is the name of the show with three performing horses?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister drawing his answer to a conclusion?

Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Neither I nor AQIS had anything to do with an early release and I am awaiting an apology.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about the workers who went out and didn’t shower? Where is the answer to that question?

Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a matter for Justice Callinan.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a matter for you.

Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where is my apology?

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where is your answer?

Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where is my apology?

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where is your full answer?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister has, I think, more than added to the answer.