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

Thank you very much, Senator Ciccone. You would think that it goes without saying that providing funding certainty for essential government functions like biosecurity is a core government responsibility. You would think that, and, certainly, the Albanese government gets it. We understand that you need to protect the Australian agriculture industry from biosecurity threats that could wipe out our production and exports and drive up grocery costs for Australians. We understand that because we're a responsible government.

Biosecurity is critical for the future of the regions and our $76 billion agricultural export trade. Strong biosecurity means our farmers can get their produce into overseas markets, building economic resilience and creating tens of thousands of jobs in our regions. In our first budget, the Albanese government invested $134 million in new biosecurity measures like extra frontline staff, 20 new detector dogs and stronger defences against foot-and-mouth disease and other emerging threats.

Unfortunately, as we keep hearing, the Albanese government also inherited a series of budget booby traps left by a government that was all announcement and no delivery. There was short-term funding in emergency management, health, the arts, communications, national security and now biosecurity. The Liberals and Nationals were addicted to announcing programs that they didn't get around to funding.

As we keep hearing, their record of providing short-term funding for essential services like biosecurity was appalling. Because of the member for Maranoa's incompetence, and Senator McKenzie's before him, biosecurity funding falls off a cliff over the next two years. In fact, it falls by 20 per cent on 30 June this year, and another 25 per cent on 30 June next year. That's right. The funding engineered by Senator McKenzie and Mr Littleproud falls off a cliff by more than 40 per cent in two years. We are cleaning up the mess made by the Liberals and Nationals in biosecurity because that is what good governments do. (Time expired)