Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, upon notice, on 29 November 2012:

With reference to the illegal trade in wildlife, in and out of Australia:

(1) What is the process for dealing with an introduced wildlife disease that is not officially recognised as infectious in Australia.

(2) Is proventricular dilatation disease officially recognised as infectious; if so, when was it officially recognised as infectious.

(3) Is Customs aware of other potentially infectious diseases that may be introduced to Australia via the illegal trade in wildlife that are not currently officially recognised as infectious; if so: (a) what are the diseases and how are they spread; (b) what threat do they pose to native species; and (c) what is being done to prevent the introduction of these diseases.

(4) What is the process for officially recognising a disease as infectious.

(5) How are quarantine requests on wildlife enforced.

(6) If a disease is not officially recognised as infectious, how are quarantine requests handled.

(7) What is the process when a disease is diagnosed in Australia which is not officially recognised as infectious, but is in other countries.

(8) Does the department track international developments in wildlife diseases, what domestic risk analysis is conducted and what budget is allocated to this work.

(9) How does Customs proactively monitor and investigate wildlife smuggling activities.

(10) What assessment has been undertaken in recent years to estimate the volume of the illegal trade in wildlife.

(11) What has been the budget for wildlife smuggling investigations and activities for each year in the past 10 years, including 2012.

(12) How are the risks of official diseases and potential new diseases factored into the allocation of resources for wildlife smuggling activities and investigations.

(13) What measures are being taken to prevent wildlife smuggling and the introduction of diseases by wildlife smugglers.

(14) In the past 10 years: (a) how many instances of wildlife smuggling has Customs dealt with; (b) how many of these have led to seizures; (c) how many wildlife smugglers have been prosecuted and can the details of these prosecutions be provided; and (d) how many convictions have been made and what were the penalties imposed.