Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Moore. I have read with great concern the Brisbane Times article which reported that up to 550 Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry positions could be axed. That amounts to about one-fifth of the capacity of the department. While the Newman government, of course, has pledged to support front-line services, Premier Newman has changed the decade-old definition of 'front-line' with the purpose of only cutting jobs. I have been so concerned about the risk that Premier Newman's government's proposed cuts would pose to Australia's biosecurity status that over two weeks ago I wrote to my counterpart, Minister McVeigh, in Queensland, because biosecurity remains an important issue. It is not one to play politics with. Have I heard from Minister McVeigh about this issue? Have I heard a response from him? No, not one word. The Newman government is no longer funding biosecurity research at James Cook— (Time expired)