Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I understand, Madam Acting Deputy President, and I shall call him Prime Minister. Prime Minister John Howard said that Australia exports four times more primary produce than it imports and would 'suffer four times as much' in retaliation. That is why it has been so disappointing to observe the coalition as it has responded to the issues of apples from New Zealand. We have seen the member for Calare with his reckless New Zealand apples bill. Like all of the National Party policies, it has been a colossal flip-flop. It was introduced and then withdrawn after he was rolled by Julie Bishop. Then we saw the members for Calare and Murray in New Zealand on their political tourism trip embarrassing Australia and embarrassing their colleagues while they were guests of the New Zealand government.

But National Party members have not asked the minister a single question on this issue during question time. In fact, they have barely turned up to the Senate estimates hearing on this matter. They have left the heavy lifting to their Liberal colleagues because they do not have the gumption to do it themselves. That, of course, is why they keep getting rolled within their own coalition. I say this to the carping, negative Nationals: if they want to revisit the conditions for the importation of apples from New Zealand, all they need to do is stump up with the science that contradicts the findings of the department's review on import conditions. Any credible evidence that says Australia's conditions of import put Australia's biosecurity status at risk will of course be taken very seriously by this government.

In conclusion, the Gillard government is getting on with the business of building a better biosecurity system. We are investing in the information technology that the system requires; correcting Warren Truss's short-term budget decision to flog off the Australia Post quarantine stations, by investing in the PEQ facility to meet our future needs; and, finally, analysing the data and intelligence on biosecurity matters and making science based decisions that protect Australia's pest and disease status and the $30 billion in farming exports annually. As a result, the government does not support this legislation.