Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the final report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee on the possible impacts and consequences for public health, trade and agriculture of the government’s decision to relax import restrictions on beef, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to the committee.

Ordered that the report be printed.

I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the report.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

This inquiry was about the government moving from precautionary principle to risk analysis for the importation of beef from countries that have had or have BSE. In view of the fact that the industry decided to self-insure some years ago and not go to the trouble of mandatorily removing SRMs, in my view this puts the Australian public at a risk. The committee has three recommendations.

Debate interrupted.