Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management. Will the minister outline how the Morrison government's sustained investment in biosecurity ensures Australia has one of the most robust and effective biosecurity systems in the world, ensuring primary producers can maintain their production levels and obtain premiums for their product in international markets?

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and his interest in biosecurity, an important pillar in not just supporting the $66 billion industry that is agriculture in Australia but also protecting the over 300,000 jobs associated with agriculture. That's why it forms part of our seven pillars within our Ag2030 plan, supporting agriculture's ambitious goal for $100 billion by 2030. That's why we backed it with cold, hard cash not only in the October budget, with over $800 million committed in the forwards, but last month with an additional $400 million to support and to beef up biosecurity to meet the evolving threats that are facing up to Australian agriculture. Of that, $30 million is around eradication of pests—real eradication, getting rid of wild dogs, pigs and deer. But we are now also putting new boots on the ground—paws on the ground—and technology on the ground.

We're investing in 89 new jobs in the front line of securing Australia's biosecurity. Twenty new scientists will be able to give real-time scientific data so that we can make real-time decisions about how we can eradicate a pest or disease that gets into this country. We're also investing in scholarships so the next generation that want to be part of the biosecurity story here in Australia can be. We're investing now also in the next stage of biosecurity defence in technology—3D X-ray technology devised right here in Australia, using artificial intelligence algorithms that Australians have devised to be able to go through the over 144 million parcels that go through Australia Post every year. They now also go over the bags that go through our airports to make sure that we can detect any organic matter, plant or animal, and even any live animal that may be there.

Yesterday we announced a world-first partnership with New Zealand. They will adopt this technology in New Zealand for those passengers that are coming from New Zealand to Australia. They will use that 3D X-ray to scan those bags, and we will know what's in those bags before they hit Australia. We can deploy the resources we need in real time to make sure we can understand what's in those bags. That partnership will be extended around the world with other trading partners to make sure that we can reduce the threats of biosecurity into this country.

We're complementing that also with new penalties for those that want to flout biosecurity laws in this country. We've taken on-the-spot fines for those that don't declare from $444 to $2,664. I'm proud to say that we've also cancelled 14 visas of those that have decided they do want to live up to our biosecurity standards. They are not welcome back to this country for up to three years. We're also saying to those that import that they also have a responsibility, and we're lifting the fines from over $400,000 to over $1 million. We are saying to those Australians in agriculture that biosecurity will underpin our future. (Time expired)

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.