Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Australia's participation in global markets provides consumers with access to a wide range of food products from all over the world, year round. The range of imported food products reflects the demand of Australian consumers and the diversity of our population.

This government works hard to maintain Australia's access to high-quality and affordable food. Having some of the most stringent food standards in the world provides a high level of protection for Australian consumers.

Consumers rightly expect that food imported from overseas meets the same standards of food produced in Australia.

We have biosecurity arrangements that safeguard Australia from unwanted pests and diseases and protect Australia's economy. We also have measures to ensure imported food complies with Australian health and safety standards.

The Imported Food Control Act 1992 allows us to monitor the compliance of imported food with Australian food standards. The Department of Agriculture relies on a risk based regime of inspecting and testing imported food. Importers operating under recognised food management systems are regularly audited to ensure compliance with food standards.

These arrangements come at a cost. Importers of food need to pay for this.

Having the right cost recovery mechanisms in place will support Australia's capacity to manage public health and safety of imported food. The Australian government has had a long standing policy of recovering these costs from those people that receive activities related to the importation of food.

In 2014, the Australian government reaffirmed this policy. Agencies should set charges to recover the efficient costs of activities that they provide.

Consistent with the arrangements that are in place for the imposition and collections of charges for biosecurity activities from the users of the biosecurity system, this bill provides for the same charging arrangements to be established for imported food.

The Imported Food Charges (Imposition—General) Bill 2015 is the first of four bills that will establish the legislative basis that allows for charges to be imposed to recover costs from food importers.

Specifically, the bill will enable cost recovery of activities that provide general benefits to food importers. This bill will enable the recovery of costs for administering the imported-food regulatory framework including the development of audit and compliance standards for third-party arrangements.

The legislation will sit alongside the existing cost recovery legislation that allows for the recovery of the department's costs for activities provided directly to people, such as inspection and audit services.

This legislation is designed purely as a cost recovery mechanism. The legislation requires that the Minister for Agriculture be satisfied that the amount charged will not be more than the likely costs of delivering the activity. This will provide clients with confidence that the government will not over-recover the costs of its imported-food services.

The bill does not of itself set the amount of the charges and will not impose any financial impacts. The charges and who is liable and exempt from paying the charges will be set in regulations.

The legislation has been drafted to be consistent with Australia's international trade obligations. This will also be the case in drafting any delegated legislation.

Three companion bills are being introduced alongside this bill, the Imported Food Charges (Imposition—Customs) Bill 2015, the Imported Food Charges (Imposition—Excise) Bill 2015, and the Imported Food Charges (Collection) Bill 2015.

An honourable member: Hear, hear!

I was worried about that!

This package of bills will ensure that appropriate cost recovery mechanisms are in place for all imported-food-related activities. It provides a flexible and common-sense structure for applying cost recovery charges. This supports the important work undertaken by the Department of Agriculture to monitor the compliance of imported food with Australian food standards.

I commend this bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.