Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Heffernan, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 19 March 2009:

Issues relating to the import risk analysis (IRA) for the importation of Cavendish bananas from the Philippines, including:

(a)

Biosecurity Australia’s administration of the IRA process;

(b)

the scientific and technical information relied upon by the IRA team;

(c)

the feasibility of the risk management measures and operational arrangements proposed in the final IRA report; and

(d)

the capability of the Australian Government and, in particular, the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service to monitor and enforce compliance with the risk management measures and operational arrangements proposed in the final IRA report.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—As the deputy chair of this committee, I wish to note that Senator Heffernan did not discuss this proposed reference to the committee. There have been several discussions on the committee since 2002 on this issue, not least of which was a one-hour private briefing on this matter yesterday, as it is a sensitive issue and it is before the WTO. I just want to say that the Senate is already overworked, with a number of committees, and I find it difficult to see how this particular inquiry is going to advance the cause of the current circumstances. I do not object to it coming to the committee but I think the Senate needs to consider just how many of these references we make and the time that is involved for the potential outcome of these inquiries.

Question agreed to.