Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance is around quarantine. I represent a large agricultural area that relies heavily on exports. The advantage that we have as an island nation is that many of the diseases that are across other parts of the world are not present here. We do have the disadvantage of being a long way from some of our markets; but the advantage is that we do have clean green produce and livestock, and it would be a disaster if a disease such as foot-and-mouth disease, bluetongue, or God forbid, rabies, should come into this country.

We did see some interest in the media a few weeks ago about some dogs coming into the country through unconventional means and what that could have meant for our biosecurity. I would like to ask the parliamentary secretary if he could provide an update on the progress that has been made in the construction of the new Post Entry Quarantine facility. He might like to add what some of the features of the new Post Entry Quarantine facility are, and how the new facility will benefit the community.

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