Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

The legislation encompasses both human health and the environment. The words of the bill are that there is an actual or imminent threat to the health or safety of people or the environment. It is fairly clear what that means. A threat may include, but is not limited to, any of the following: a threat from the outbreak of a plant, animal or human disease; a threat from a particular plant or animal; or a threat from an industrial spillage.

It is too difficult simply to talk about medical emergencies relating to human beings because an industrial spillage may not, for example, impact on human beings immediately but could in the very short term. The government would not want to cut off options to deal with an industrial spillage by not having the power to introduce a GMO in certain emergency contexts.

Progress reported.