Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority Board and Other Improvements) Bill 2019. Agriculture and veterinary chemicals play a vitally important role in primary production by protecting crops and livestock from unwanted weeds, disease and pests. When agvet chemicals are utilised, this in turn may yield greater productivity, improved quality in crops and an even more competitive and thriving marketplace.

Agriculture is the lifeblood of many rural and regional communities, with agriculture and affiliated industries providing jobs to around 329,000 Australians, placing us as one of the top 10 agricultural exporting countries in the world. We ship about two-thirds of our agricultural production to the world every year with efficiency second to none. Our government is helping to work towards agriculture becoming a $100 billion industry in 2030.

This bill seeks to amalgamate two bills in the creation of a governance board for the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. It's so important to Australians that we look after our agriculture sector, but many Australians don't realise that there's a greater extent to which agvet chemicals are used in our everyday lives. Through the introduction of the APVMA Board, this bill will ensure that increased oversight is provided for the use of the widespread nature of agvet chemicals like glyphosate, which is part of Roundup, and reduce the risks for everyday Australian consumers.

Furthermore, agvet chemicals aren't just used in agriculture; they are also used in veterinary practice. Today there are 25 million pets in Australia with the market for animal health products having grown by 14 per cent in the last three years. Safeguarding our animal health is very important to Australians. Continued monitoring and oversight are required to ensure compliance with Australia's regulatory standards and to safeguard animal health through the management of food manufacturing practice.

In enjoying the benefits of agvet chemicals, the community and industry have certain expectations of the APVMA as the national agvet chemical regulator to act as an active gatekeeper, ensuring that only those products that are appropriate are approved and that all agvet users follow compliance with regulatory standards.

The bill contains most of the measures included in two previous bills—the operation efficiency bill and the streamlining regulation bill. The measures have been widely welcomed by stakeholders. Improved oversight with a clear distinction for the roles and responsibilities of the APVMA will work to ensure that the integrity of the system is maintained, and this amendment bill will achieve just that. A more efficient and effective APVMA will benefit all who utilise agvet chemicals or reap the benefits of their use by improving access to new productivity-enhancing chemical products. I support this bill.

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