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

Thank you again, Senator Ciccone. As we all remember, the response to COVID-19 was the most important global human health response in recent memory. If we have learned one thing from this experience, it is that the Australian government needs to be prepared ahead of time for an event as potentially catastrophic as an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, and that means working with all levels of government in a constructive and respectful way. We are not determined not to make the same mistakes the previous government did.

When COVID hit, the former coalition government weren't prepared. They were slow to close borders, leaving management to the states; slow on RATs; and too slow on vaccines. Of course Australians paid the price. When floods and fires hit, the former coalition government wasn't prepared. When the former fire chiefs tried to warn them about what was coming, the former government wouldn't even meet them. We won't make the same mistake. If there were to be a major biosecurity outbreak in Australia, there would simply be no time to delay, and that's why we have implemented the strongest biosecurity response ever and why we will keep working on preparedness. (Time expired)