Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I begin by apologising to the House, particularly to the member for Grayndler, because it was my mistake that gave the minister an opportunity to have another crack. It was a little long and a little boring, although exciting and unpredictable in parts, but certainly well wide of the matter that was before the House. This time, in this debate, I move my second reading amendment to the quarantine charges bill:

That all the words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"While not declining the bill a second reading, the House condemns the Government for quarantine funding cuts."

This is, of course, a condemnation of the government's decision to cut funding for our quarantine services in this country—our front-line defence against pests and other diseases that might creep into this country and that, in turn, would undermine our clean and green image, one of our great natural advantages in international agricultural markets. It would be remiss of me not to raise that in the context of this bill, because it is extremely relevant to the bill. I know that there will be others keen to talk on this issue. It is an issue that no less than the National Farmers' Federation has been critical of, and I look forward to the minister responding to it in his summation on this bill.

The Quarantine Charges (Collection) Bill 2014 and associated bills form part of a legislative package which is designed purely as a cost recovery mechanism. It will realign Australia's biosecurity and quarantine import systems in an efficient and effective cost recovery model, which is consistent with the Australian government cost recovery guidelines and, as I indicated earlier, had its beginnings in the Beale report under the former Labor government. It also provides authority to collect charges imposed under the Quarantine Charges (Imposition—General) Bill 2014, the Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Excise) Bill 2014 and the Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Customs) Bill 2014. As I indicated earlier, the opposition will be supporting the bill and I commend it to the House.

Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the amendment seconded?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the amendment.

Debate adjourned.