Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to ask the federal government to provide assistance to the kangaroo harvesting industry and processing sector, which has been virtually crippled by the Russian ban on roo meat imports. Russia’s imports accounted for around 70 per cent of the market and their ban has resulted in 2,500 jobs being lost across the nation and more than 10 kangaroo processing facilities being forced to close. The kangaroo meat industry is worth $270 million to regional Australian economies and if you take into account the multiplier effect the industry has a total value of in excess of a billion dollars.

The proposed new regulations to improve hygiene standards are being discussed with harvesters, and they understand that for the industry to continue and for the Russian market and new markets to open, world’s best food hygiene standards will have to be implemented. These new changes will cost the industry more than $20 million. That is why I am taking this opportunity to request the minister to provide some assistance.

Last week I attended an industry consultation meeting in my home town of Roma, which was organised to discuss the new regulations. There are more than 2,000 registered professional roo harvesters in Queensland and more than 1,200 of those live in my electorate of Maranoa. That is 1,200 working families in my electorate who are suffering from this major blow to the industry. As you can understand, I am quite passionate about this issue. I therefore ask this government to provide the industry with the assistance they need to get back on their feet so that these 1,200 harvesters and the processing sector in my electorate of Maranoa can continue to provide—(Time expired)