Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

The federal coalition support the passage of the Biosecurity Amendment (Strengthening Biosecurity) Bill 2022. We support this legislation because it will amend the Biosecurity Act 2015 with measures to enhance the operation of Australia's national biosecurity framework. It will strengthen the management of risks across maritime and aviation pathways, improve the efficiency of the act, and increase a range of civil and criminal penalties for breaches of biosecurity law. Also, the passage of this bill will address recommendations made by the Inspector-General of Biosecurity, in his review of the Ruby Princess incident, and the New South Wales special commission of inquiry.

Significantly, this bill is similar to legislation introduced last year by the federal coalition. The bill will increase protection from diseases and pests by implementing measures that manage the biosecurity risk from travellers, including responding to the threat of foot-and-mouth disease being introduced into Australia from the footwear and clothing of travellers. Whilst this is welcome, it is worth recognising that it was the federal coalition that called for foot mats to be installed at international airports once FMD was detected in Bali, given the increased risk from travellers. It is good that they are now in place, but the government flip-flopped about whether to install the mats in the first place, and, by the time they did, it had taken too long. In the weeks that it took for the government to make up their minds and take action, 79,374 international travellers arrived in Australia from Indonesia, with 93.4 per cent from Bali, without having to disinfect their shoes.

In a positive move, this bill will strengthen pratique and pre-arrival reporting by ensuring that the pre-arrival reporting requirements of the Biosecurity Act are expanded to ensure that accurate and up-to-date information is available to assess biosecurity risk, including the human health risk of arriving vessels and aircraft. The penalties for operators and persons in charge of aircraft and vessels who do not comply with these requirements will be expanded and strengthened.

The importance of having a strong biosecurity system should never be underestimated. In 2020 the value of Australia's biosecurity system was estimated to be $314 billion over 50 years. It is absolutely essential that compliance with our national biosecurity laws and framework is always maintained and that the penalties in place reflect the seriousness of the risk. Importantly, this bill will increase the penalties for those who do the wrong thing. People who put at risk Australia's biosecurity system by failing to comply with these new requirements will face civil penalties of up to 120 penalty points or $26,640. For operators, the increased penalties are up to $222,000 for an individual and up to $1.1 million for corporate bodies.

The remaining measures in the bill will simplify the process for making decisions identifying prohibited, conditionally non-prohibited and suspended goods or granting permits based on risk assessments. The bill will allow the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Minister for Health and Aged Care to authorise expenditure on biosecurity related programs to increase efficiency and allow more transparency of such expenditure. There will be more-effective sharing of information with government agencies and other bodies, whilst ensuring necessary confidentiality. The bill will also improve the operation of provisions relating to approved arrangements and compensation.

Overall, these are sensible measures that the federal coalition will be supporting. Australia's biosecurity system is a crucial pillar of our national defence, helping us to prepare for, protect against and respond to risks to our environment, economy and way of life. Our nation has always enjoyed a reputation for clean, healthy and disease-free agricultural production systems through our natural advantage of geographic isolation. This has also given Australian producers an edge in a very competitive international market and environment. This rock-solid reputation is not something that should ever, ever be put at risk. We need a strong biosecurity system, because in 2020 Australia's environmental assets were valued at a staggering $5.7 trillion—modelled over 50 years—and can't be replaced. Agricultural production in our nation is projected to reach $82 billion in 2022-23, supporting 1.6 million jobs through the supply chain. Before COVID-19, tourism contributed $50 billion to Australia's gross domestic product. It's important to point this out, because the health of all these sectors relies on a strong, robust biosecurity system.

The coalition are proud of our track record on biosecurity, because we made it a priority while in government. I note that the member for McEwen, who's about to speak, is constructing a very important biosecurity facility in his electorate, which has made such a difference, from bees right through to larger animals and plants. That was a good investment, in making sure that the facility consolidated similar smaller facilities around the nation. It's close to Tullamarine airport as well.

In 2022-23 we made more than a billion dollars available for biosecurity and export programs when in government, an increase of 69 per cent from the financial year 2014-15. In government we also increased fines for people breaking biosecurity law and partnered with New Zealand to develop world-leading biosecurity risk detection technology, such as 3D X-rays. Our measures in office ensured that Australia remained a world leader in biosecurity and agriculture, with strong controls in place offshore, at our border and within our nation. Given the increased risks at Australia's borders, with a major foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia and the threats of varroa mite and lumpy skin disease, the federal coalition will always lend our support to outcomes that will strengthen our biosecurity system. We commend this bill to the House.

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