John Madigan (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Food-labelling laws in this country have decayed to such a point that Australians want action from their elected leaders. Australians have a right to know what food comes into this country and the circumstances under which it comes. They have a right to know if the product they are purchasing was imported from overseas or grown by Australian farmers. For too long, imported food products—and I say this deliberately—have been shoved down our throats. For far too long importers have been feeding off inadequate food-labelling laws to fool the consumers into purchasing their products.

Why is it that the government is determined to be an apologist for foreign imports at the expense of Australians' health—not to mention jobs? It is time the Australian government started putting Australian consumers, farmers and food processors before free trade agreements. Australian farmers pay fair wages, adhere to strict safety standards and persevere under extremely difficult circumstances, but they are being stymied by cheaper, substandard imports. Introducing better food labelling laws will give Australian farmers the level playing field they deserve to survive in a market swamped with cheaper-yet-inferior products.

When Australian consumers buy food which is grown and produced in Australia, it is better for the economy, better for the environment and better for the health of Australian families and individuals. It is the most sustainable option. I strongly believe most Australians recognize this and want to do the right thing by Australian farmers and food processors. The problem is that, when people encounter the amount of information on the back of food packaging, they often find they have bitten off more than they can chew. You should not need to be a Rhodes scholar to be able to work out where your food comes from.

Solid food labelling laws provide Australians with a choice: a choice between berries with hepatitis A or just vitamin C, a choice between meat with E. coli or simply meat with the standard three veg. This government must implement substantial country of origin food labelling legislation to protect public health, Australian farmers and jobs. The issue is not a laughing matter. Too much is at stake.