Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I won't be moving Greens amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 8736, because the government has now moved amendments identical to those, but I do move amendment (3) on sheet 8736, because the bill as presented by the government unnecessarily restricts the ability of the Inspector-General. We would like subclause 10(2) to be removed completely because, as I said earlier, the subclause does restrict the inspector-general from investigating individual cases. I think this is quite a ridiculous limitation and one that is wholly unnecessary. We know that there are serious problems with the way exports of live animals are carried out and regulated, and there are serious issues with the lack of oversight. This bill as it stands won't really allow the inspector-general to investigate individual actions. This oversight is absolutely necessary, given that we know what the Moss review said about the department and its limitations, and this amendment will ensure that that's not the case. So I do urge senators to support this. The Greens oppose subclause 10(2) in the following terms:

(3) Subclause 10(2), page 7 (lines 3 to 12), to be opposed.