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

Again. As outlined yesterday, Australian horticultural exporters are a diverse group. I think you have outlined that many of them are small businesses. I understand that and respect their involvement in this industry. The government has made considerable efforts to target well its communication about the $127.4 million export certification reform program and its outcomes. On 24 November 2009 Minister Burke announced the program by media release and the government committed to reduce red tape and reduce the cost of government service delivery by $30 million. We delivered on that aim. There was a reduction in the costs of the horticultural export program of about $1 million, which is roughly 12.5 per cent. To give effect to that the government established a ministerial task force chaired by the Australian Horticultural Exporters Association, whose task it was to consult with their constituents and represent the interests of their members and the industry more broadly. The members of the task force included people from the Australian horticultural exporters, people from the South Australian Industry Development Board, from Global Fruit Exchange, from the Australian Mango Industry Association, from citrus growers and packers, from the Nursery and Garden Industry Association, from Fruit Growers Tasmania, from Ironbark Citrus and Grapes, from Antico International Pty Ltd, from Horticulture Australia Limited, from Center West Exports, from the LaManna Group and from the AS Barr Group. I can go further. There was also a range— (Time expired)