Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry and Science. Will the minister update the House on steps the government is taking to improve country-of-origin labelling to ensure it is clear, consistent and easy to understand?

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hinkler not only for his question but also for the hard work he does in his electorate. I know it is appreciated by a wide range of businesses in that electorate and I know that some of those have been consulting him in relation to the food-labelling issue. He has some great brands up there like Austchilli, Farmfresh Fine Foods and Bundaberg Brewed Drinks—of which I may have participated in one or two but, as far as I understand, it is only ginger beer!

The member for Hinkler, along with nearly all members of this House, understands the importance of food labelling and having clear and concise food labelling for the consumers of Australia. This issue has been around longer than I have been in public life, which is approaching 31 years, I have to say. In terms of getting this issue resolved, I asked the member for Grey, who heads up the House of Representatives committee in this area, to conduct an inquiry. I would have thanked the member for Hotham, if she had stayed around long enough to hear it.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sure she is watching. The member for Grey and his committee came up with a very good set of recommendations which we then began to work on. The impetus on this issue obviously increased in relation to the food scare that we had just a little while ago. As a result of that, the Prime Minister has formed a ministerial working group, which I chair. We have had wide-ranging consultations to ensure that the world-class Australian food that we produce is clearly branded in the supermarket. We do have the cleanest, best food in the world, and we should be making sure that consumers know it.

As a result of the discussions of the committee and the discussions we have had with industry, we are close to finalising a branding system which will allow people to walk in to the supermarket and, without their glasses, see whether or not a product is made and processed here in Australia. In fact, we are going to be placing out for consumer testing a symbol with a set of words which clearly defines that a product is made and processed here in Australia and contains a percentage—100 per cent, more than 50 per cent or less than 50 per cent—of Australian food.

We need to do this because consumers are demanding it. I am confident that, along with the Minister for Agriculture, cabinet will approve a proposal which will, once and for all, actually give the consumers the confidence and understanding they need in labelling. They need to know that the product is processed here in Australia. They need to know how much of that produce was grown or produced here in Australia. Conversely, they also need to know if a product is brought in from overseas.