Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. It relates to New South Wales Independent MP Richard Torbay’s truth in meat labelling bill, which would make it an offence to falsely describe meat—including beef, sheep meat, goat meat and pig meat—in advertising, packaging and labelling. Given that beef producers—for instance, in New South Wales—are currently being disadvantaged by voluntary labelling that is not enforceable and given that this issue is bigger than just New South Wales, what will the federal government be doing to address this issue at a national level? Will the minister bite the bullet on this issue, ignore some sectors of the meat industry which have railed against truth in labelling for their own purposes, and provide some leadership at a national level?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for New England for his question. First of all can I say, ‘Happy St Patrick’s Day!’ No-one has mentioned it and it is important. The question that the member for New England raises is an important one. He is right that there is a need for national coordination. Some of the powers on this exist at a state level and some at a federal level. For that reason I have put it on the agenda for the next meeting of the ministerial council.