Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Abetz, representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. I refer the minister to recent reports that Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service testing has detected antimicrobial contamination in 31 out of 100 samples of imported fish and crustaceans from China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. Can the minister confirm that tests revealed unacceptable levels of flouroquinolones and other potentially harmful antibiotics? Hasn’t Australia’s medical profession expressed grave concern about the risk of antibiotic contamination in the food chain? When will the government match the United States and introduce 100 per cent testing for antibiotic contamination in imported seafood?