Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Medicare) Share this | Hansard source

The Deputy Speaker just interjected on me, so I hope that gets recorded! There is, around the world, a worldwide collapse of bee hives and colonies. That's in a large part unexplained. The varroa mite marches on unhindered into beehives around the world. Australia remains the only country that is free of this damaging mite. Sadly, I don't think we will be able to keep this mite out of this country forever. What this country will need is an urgent response plan for what happens when biosecurity hazards like a varroa mite—but there may be others—take hold in this country.

I've spoken before, in response to committee inquiries into the biosecurity of beehives and honey, on the need to address what will happen between the states in this country. Western Australia, as everyone knows, has extraordinary biosecurity laws. You cannot take honey from around the rest of the country into Western Australia. That is a bid to protect honey and beehives in that state. That is due to the benefits of bees, being that they pollenate two-thirds of the agriculture produce of the whole country, including in Western Australia. I would call upon the government and this parliament to consider a food security framework, which we might look at to make sure that this kind of thing doesn't happen again, and also to consider an urgent response plan for biosecurity hazards. We need to prioritise that.

In relation to the legislation itself, we all admit that it has come through quickly. There has been little time for consideration. I support the sentiment of the Manager of Opposition Business, as to need to insert a legislative review provision so that we may look at this legislation again in 12 months. This is a sensible, responsible plan of action, and I urge the government to consider it. As this legislation has come on quickly, there has not been time for consultation and there may be unforeseen consequences. It may affect the food manufacturing sector. The main point is—and I won't labour this point—that we do need to review the legislation in 12 months. I do hope the government will consider that.

For Western Australia, we have a strong strawberry industry. The Western Australian government has offered a $100,000 reward to try to find the criminals who are damaging this fruit in our state and around the country. I have a strawberry farm in my electorate, Russell Farm Strawberries on Thomas Road. I know people will be out and about supporting them over the long weekend, as it's the royal show weekend in Western Australia. We just need people to keep doing what they were doing. They need to continue to buy fruit as always. Cut it up; don't cut it out. I thank the House.

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