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

I present the explanatory memorandum and I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

Quarantine Amendment (Disallowing Permits) Bill 2011

Australian farms and related sectors generate $155 billion-a-year in production—making up 12 per cent of Australia's GDP—and it is vital that biosecurity standards are upheld to ensure that Australia remains disease free.

This bill seeks to ensure that any decision to allow the importation, introduction, bringing in of or removal of a thing—defined under the Quarantine Act 1908 as an animal, plant, substance or thing—is thoroughly scrutinised.

By requiring the tabling of risk analyses and referrals to parliamentary committees for inquiries, and making permits disallowable and determinations legislative instruments, this bill will protect Australia's agricultural sector from disease.

While this bill follows concerns raised about the importation of New Zealand apples to Australia, the provisions of the bill requires that all things or class of things require a determination to be made by the Director of Biosecurity Australia, which will be a disallowable instrument, and that all permits for the importing, introduction, bringing in of or removal of a thing are also disallowable instruments unless they are covered by a determination.

Under this bill, there are also provisions to require that the minister table a risk analysis for each determination in both houses of parliament and move a motion to refer the determination to the relevant committee in each House for inquiry.

Around the world, agricultural sectors have been decimated by outbreaks of European canker, myrtlerust, fireblight, earlyblight, apple leaf curling midge, Tropical Race Four, pear midges, affecting apples, pears, potatoes, bananas, to name a few.

It is crucial that we protect Australia from these diseases.

This bill that I am introducing does not breach World Trade Organisation obligations. It simply provides that determinations and permits not covered by such determinations be tabled before the parliament, along with risk analysis, and that inquiries be held to ensure that thorough assessment take place.

Furthermore, the bill provides that the committees to which any referral is made for inquiry reports within 15 sitting days and in that way, it does not unduly hinder the parliamentary and approvals processes.

This bill also ensures, by requiring a risk analysis to be tabled, that that report is finalised before any decision is made about whether or not a thing, or class of things, is allowed to be imported or removed.

This bill will give Australia's agricultural sector the certainty they both need and deserve, and requires that thorough consideration is given to ensure that Australia remains disease-free.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.