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

I inform the Senate that Senators Lazarus, Lambie, Whish-Wilson, Wang and Madigan have been added as co-sponsors to the bill and I move:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to provide for the accurate labelling of the country of origin for fish, and for related purposes. Food Standards Amendment (Fish Labelling) Bill 2015.

Question agreed to.

I present the bill and move:

That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

I seek leave to make a very short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

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

Whilst a number of my colleagues on the crossbench are co-sponsoring this bill, I want to acknowledge the non-partisan way the Senate's Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee worked on the issue of seafood labelling, in particular the chair, Senator Sterle, and his colleagues Senators Bullock Williams, Heffernan, Gallacher, Lines and Macdonald. A very non-partisan approach was taken to tackle this significant issue. I am very grateful for the unanimity of that report. Senator Whish-Wilson was a co-sponsor of the bill. I mention that because I do not want to offend Senator Whish-Wilson, who is sitting here!