Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Is the minister aware of the Senate committee report into the citrus canker outbreak that was tabled yesterday? Does the minister accept the committee’s bipartisan conclusions that the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service’s investigations were ‘at best, poorly handled’, and that the case has shown ‘how poorly prepared AQIS has been to deal with a disease outbreak’? Is the minister also aware that the committee chair, Senator Heffernan, yesterday described the initial response to the citrus canker outbreak by AQIS as ‘pathetic’? Wasn’t that pathetic response at least partly to blame for destroying 490,000 citrus trees and wiping out overnight an industry worth $70 million a year? Is the minister now able to explain why AQIS did not act earlier to try to prevent the outbreak from destroying an industry? Can the minister provide an assurance that in future AQIS will be able to secure Australia’s borders against exotic pests and diseases?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government understands the concerns of the committee and has great sympathy for the affected communities. AQIS investigators do not have police powers. There has to be sufficient evidence available before a search warrant can be issued by the courts. It is also difficult when evidence given to a committee does not appear to line up with evidence given to investigators. AQIS complaints and investigations officers are highly skilled and trained. The majority of the officers have been recruited from federal and state police forces and have a minimum of 15 years policing and investigations experience. The unit is also subject to external review, as it is accredited under ISO 9000 arrangements; it is the only Australian investigation unit with such accreditation. The government is looking at the recommendations. Having said that, I do not think that there is much I can usefully add.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer and would be interested to know if that is AQIS’s version of the answer or the minister’s office’s version of the answer. I would also like to know whether the minister agrees with the committee that, given AQIS’s pathetic performance in handling the citrus canker outbreak, the agency would be even less prepared to deal with industrial sabotage or a bioterrorism attack. Hasn’t the government’s failure to properly ensure that AQIS is capable of protecting our borders against exotic pests and disease left Australia vulnerable to bioterrorism?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Answers given in this place are usually the answers of the minister, I would have thought. I add that it is easy to be wise in hindsight but it is difficult to put AQIS in the frame for what is an appalling situation in which it is apparent that an individual or individuals have illegally imported material and bypassed quarantine restrictions. The minister has initiated a review into the handling of the national response to the citrus canker outbreak and is happy to report on the outcomes when they become available.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.