Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Xenophon, move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes recent reports in Australia that found infant formula had been contaminated with genetically modified (GM) soy and corn;

(b)

acknowledges the significant level of community concern about food labelling and safety issues in Australian food products, particularly those being fed to infants and young children; and

(c)

calls on the Government to introduce clear and effective labelling standards that require all GM additives in Australian food products to be labelled.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government notes that it is already the case that approved genetically modified foods must be labelled if novel genetic material is in the food, except where there is the unintentional presence of GM material of less than one per cent. In addition, the motion would pre-empt the findings of a formal review into the issue of food labelling law and policy which is currently being undertaken by an independent expert panel headed by Dr Neal Blewett. All GM foods must undergo a rigorous premarket safety assessment by Food Standards Australia New Zealand before they are committed to be sold in Australia. Unapproved GM food cannot under Australian law be sold in Australia. Further consideration of labelling of genetically modified foods was identified in the issues paper for the Blewett review, which was released for public consultation as part of this review. The review panel is now considering the stakeholders’ perspective provided in the written submissions and other information gathered during the course of the review process to inform the development of its recommendations. The final report of the review panel will be provided to government through the Australian and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council in December 2010 and the Council of Australian Governments in early 2011. On those bases the government does not support the motion.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What has pre-empted this, particularly today, is that Greenpeace—not Food Standards Australia New Zealand and not the government—tested some baby formula and found genetically modified product present. It also found the presence of the antibiotic resistance marker. They do not know it but Australians are feeding it to their infants. Mothers want to be able to make a choice. It is not good enough to say that FSANZ tests products. It obviously does not, in fact, test products; it relies on information from industry. The point is that there is baby formula on the market in Australia at the moment that mothers and fathers are feeding their babies thinking it is safe. If they knew that there was genetically modified product in it, they would not buy it. That is what the surveys show and that is what companies do not want. They do not want to have to put ‘May contain genetically modified organisms’ on their labels and they certainly do not want to tell parents that their products may contain the antibiotic resistance marker, which may have very serious consequences for children later in life.

The government has been talking about reviewing and amending labelling laws for years. I have been in this place for over five years now, and for over five years you have been talking about fixing up labelling. It is not good enough. They need to do it now, not wait for another review. The parents of Australia at the moment are not able to make informed choices and they are saying that is not good enough.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I endorse the remarks of my colleague Senator Siewert. Anyone who saw the Sunday night program on the Seven network last Sunday would be very disturbed at the findings that it took Greenpeace, not our food regulatory authorities, to discover that there are genetically modified organisms in baby formula. It shows how weak our labelling laws are in this country, how weak the regulatory framework is. The regulator should be doing this, not an NGO. I am disappointed that the government has not made a stronger statement to say that this is completely unacceptable, that whatever the outcome of any review we need to move on this to ensure that consumers are fully informed, particularly with regard to baby formula, and that there are not any genetically modified organisms in the product. If you look at the science, there is a real concern about the long-term health effects of genetically modified organisms in foods and the effect they could have, for instance, on the immune systems of infants. So I think the government needs to do a lot better on this in terms of their position.

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

by leave—I do not think anyone much in this chamber understands what this is about. They are right. I seek leave to move a motion to defer it until everyone can get their head around it.

Leave granted.

I move:

That this matter be deferred until the next day of sitting.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has indicated that it will give leave to Senator Heffernan’s motion. But could I just make an observation about Senate procedure; not about the policy matters Senator Siewert so eloquently put to us. This is not a time in Senate proceedings which lends itself easily to sensible and considered debate. Senators have been sitting in the chamber for some time on this issue. There are mechanisms for these sorts of debates to be organised, to be structured appropriately and for parties in this place to be given the courtesy of the ability to consider some of the issues before the chamber. So I would invite senators, if they have such issues, to perhaps consider using the procedures which are available, the opportunities for debate which are available, to senators in this place.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend Senator Heffernan’s motion.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Postponement is automatically to the next day of sitting.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That solves my problem, Mr President.

Question agreed to.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank honourable senators for their cooperation in assisting us through that part of the Senate’s business this morning.

10:34:49