Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of Senator Sterle, the Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, I present the report on the safety of pet food, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to the committee, and move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted.

Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to take note of the report. This is an important report because it highlights the total inadequacy of a system that should have protected our pets. Well-loved dogs died unnecessarily and many more were injured, because this $4 billion industry is both unregulated and has proven—via its underresourced and underfunded association—to be largely unresponsive when a product issue is found. This report covers many important aspects of this industry and I sincerely hope it will inform the work of the independent working group which will formally review this inadequate and self-regulated system.

I commend the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud, for seeking the support of his state and territory counterparts to bring together the working group, with input from veterinary and industry associations, to look at ways to improve the regulation of pet food. As this report makes clear, the committee expects that the evidence submitted to this inquiry, and the recommendations of this report, will be not only useful but persuasive.

Frankly, my view is that pet food should be regulated to the same standards as human food. I can't see why we can't simply replicate that process where Food Standards Australia New Zealand develops and maintains mandatory safety and labelling standards that would apply nationally. In fact, it is worth noting that the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, which directs FSANZ's work, already includes agricultural ministers from a number of states. These are the same ministers who have agreed to the regulatory review of pet food initiated by Minister Littleproud.

The key recommendations from my point of view are: that Australia move to mandatory regulation, including mandatory labelling, which requires all products, including pet treats, to show a full list of ingredients, preservatives, additives and heat or other treatments before sale; that the federal government work with states and territories to develop a robust and transparent mechanism for the reporting of adverse effects, and this must also incorporate a mechanism for the public to direct product issues; and that the public system would be best managed by the ACCC, and the ACCC and the Australian Veterinary Association need to explore measures to improve data capture in the industry's pet farm system.

All up, this report contains seven recommendations and a host of valuable information for government, the industry and pet owners to consider. I commend it to the Senate and government. I would also like to personally thank all who attended the hearings, particularly those pet owners who shared their heart-rending stories of the plight of their dogs who are stricken with megaesophagus. Jodie Burnett, Rach Dola and Christine Fry, this inquiry only happened because of you.

As I've said on many occasions, pets are our friends and companions—part of the family. They rely on us and it's up to us to ensure they lead a good, healthy life, and it's important that this $4 billion industry does the right thing by them. This is the time to act decisively and in the best interests of our pets, and this means the status quo has to go. It's now over to government to ensure all of the recommendations are implemented, and I look forward to them doing so. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.