Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Sherry. I refer to the Final import risk analysis report for the importation of Cavendish bananas from the Philippines. Will AQIS inspectors be actively involved in the conduct of infield inspections to verify an area of low pest prevalence or will their role essentially be one of oversighting process? Can the minister assure the house that the report released yesterday is the same, in all material respects, as that which the IRA team signed off on before being disbanded?

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Boswell for his question and I acknowledge his very longstanding interest in the importation of bananas. The process that is currently undertaken in respect of import assessment is transparent, it is scientific, it is independent of government and it is also reviewed through public comment and scrutiny of the Eminent Scientists Group. That was a process established by the Liberal-National Party when in government.

The final report, which has been released, is open to a 30-day appeal period. Under Australia’s low level of risk tolerance to pests, the IRA proposes that bananas could enter Australia only under strict quarantine measures relating to seven groups of pests of quarantine concern, including moko, black sigatoka and freckle. These measures include sourcing of bananas from demonstrated low-pest areas, field inspections, auditing by AQIS, disinfection treatments and mandatory preclearance of fruit by AQIS inspectors in the Philippines. In addition, there will need to be a combination of laboratory and field experiments prior to any exports occurring. Under the IRA process, stakeholders will have until 12 December this year to lodge an appeal—that is, they will have 30 days. An appeal can only be on the basis of one or both of the following grounds:

there was a significant deviation from the process set out in the IRA Handbook—

that is, of 2003—

that adversely affected the interests of a stakeholder and/or a significant body of scientific information relevant to the outcome of the IRA was not considered.

In completing the report Biosecurity Australia has given careful consideration to a substantial number of scientific and technical issues raised by domestic and international stakeholders in some 21 submissions, as well as comments from the independent Eminent Scientists Group. After the appeal process, the final report and recommendations will be provided to Australia’s Director of Animal and Plant Quarantine to make a quarantine policy determination on bananas from the Philippines. I am assured that the IRA is a comprehensive and science based assessment of the quarantine risks associated with the importation of Philippine bananas.

The recommended risk management measures accord with Australia’s longstanding, conservative approach to quarantine. I can confirm, through you, Mr President, to Senator Boswell that AQIS officers will be involved in inspecting, verifying, auditing systems and processes in the Philippines both before and during the exporting of bananas. There will be mandatory preclearance arrangements with the presence and involvement of AQIS inspectors in the Philippines in applying quarantine conditions in the field, including in the packing houses. There will also be auditing and verification by AQIS of systems and processes used by the Philippines to certify any exports.

In respect of the second point that Senator Boswell today raises, the answer is yes. However, the BA incorporated additional text in the final report on the auditing and compliance checking that would be performed by AQIS on recommendation from the Eminent Scientists Group. The ESG conducts an independent evaluation of the IRA in relation to how BA considers stakeholders’ comments.

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the Philippine exporters reimburse in full all costs incurred by AQIS in the implementation and oversight of the quarantine protocols, or will this financial burden be shared by Australian taxpayers?

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Philippine exporters will be responsible for reimbursing the full cost of AQIS inspections.