Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Hansard source

As I said in my previous answer, there are two reasons. There was a decision of government, specifically, by current and previous agriculture ministers. As I said, the advisory board had no legislative powers to direct any course of action. The APVMA already has the ability to consult with stakeholders without that advisory board. As such, while the advisory board created considerable costs, it actually didn't necessarily serve that regulatory function and the government made the decision to cease the board on this basis. That is why we're now putting in the actual governance board that we are—because, as I said earlier, it was a decision of government and the advisory board, as it stood, couldn't direct in the way that you may think it might have been able to, Senator Whish-Wilson.