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

Thank you, Senator Ciccone—a very, very good question. The coalition are full of ideas now that they're in opposition, but when they were in power they didn't implement any of the measures that we have put in place, despite the fact that this outbreak got to Indonesia on their watch. This government has done more on biosecurity in nine weeks than that lot did in nine years. Everyone, from the National Farmers Federation to the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association and AgForce in Queensland, is supporting the government and criticising the opposition. Mr McColl, from the NSW Farmers Association, had more to say:

Farmers have argued for stronger, sustainably-funded biosecurity systems for years – this isn't something that's just happened overnight.

… Fanning the flames of fear will not help one little bit.

Who could be fanning the flames? I wonder who could be doing that. Oh, Deidre Chambers—she's over there! He's over there! Every single person on the opposition benches is fanning the flames of concern, is letting down farmers and is endangering our international trade. (Time expired)