Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

Foot and mouth disease entering Australia is a clear and present threat to Australia's livestock industry, family farms and the world's protein supply. I do not believe Minister Watt is handling FMD well. One Nation wants an inquiry, not a cover-up. We acknowledge Senator Whish-Wilson and others who have worked with Senator Ciccone to modify this. We would not support the original motion, but we will support this amended motion.

Why would you refer FMD to a government controlled legislation committee unless the intent were to cover up? Minister Watt is out of his depth. Yesterday in question time, Senator Watt replied to my foot-and-mouth-disease questions with responses that may have misled the public and the Senate. When admitting to having one million FMD vaccines produced and stored in the UK, Minister Watt said that vaccines could not be produced until we know the strain involved. What are the vaccines in the UK? And he said that he knows the Indonesian strain. I look forward to a proper inquiry to get to the bottom of this.