Senate debates

Tuesday, 13 March 2012

Questions without Notice

Live Animal Exports

2:50 pm

Photo of Joe LudwigJoe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rhiannon for her second supplementary question. I did answer it by indicating that we should not put our question in front of where the investigation is currently up to. The independent regulator will examine the footage, make the investigations and determine whether there have been any breaches of our export control licences by exporters in Australia. That is the appropriate course of action to take. We should not second-guess and determine in advance what the independent regulator will find. It is clear that the footage provides some information, but the investigation will conclude as to which supply chains, which exporters and which abattoirs are part of our quality assurance program and, therefore, which exporters will have to ensure that these issues are addressed. The independent regulator will determine the appropriate remedial action to be taken, not me as minister— (Time expired)

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