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

It is a landmark, and it is historic, because it never happened once under the 10 years of coalition government. But you don't have to take my word for it. Today I see that the Australian Fresh Produce Alliance have said that the additional funding is welcome and will strengthen Australia's biosecurity to help ensure that our nation is better protected. In contrast, the Liberal and National parties had nine long years but did nothing to secure permanent, sustainable, long-term funding for biosecurity. But their incompetence on these matters went beyond that. A conga line of incompetent and economically illiterate National Party agricultural ministers left us with funding cliffs in vital frontline areas that would have seen biosecurity funding fall by nearly 20 per cent this year if we hadn't acted. They failed to maintain the integrity of cost recovery. They said they'd introduce a container levy. They backed down under pressure, and then they went out to set up the department to explain it. And let's not forget about the Ruby Princess and all the other biosecurity disasters under that lot. (Time expired)