Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises and applauds the Federal Government's move to introduce better country of origin labelling rules to give Australians a clearer understanding of where their food originates; and

(b) further recognises That the Minister for Agriculture (Mr Joyce) and the Minister for Industry and Science (Mr Macfarlane) have been tasked with developing a new country of origin labelling framework that will improve clarity for consumers.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to see that there is now going to be a move on country-of-origin labelling, but I would encourage Minister Joyce and Minister Macfarlane to consult with those people in the parliament who have been working on country-of-origin labelling for a long time. I note in the motion that Mr Joyce is mentioned and that in August 2009 Mr Barnaby Joyce, who was a senator then, sought to have his name added to Senator Bob Brown's bill to require Food Standards Australia and New Zealand to develop and approve food-product labelling standards. Of course, there have been several occasions since, with three bills of my own, where we have struggled to have Minister Joyce to support them. I would welcome Minister Joyce speaking to the Greens on this, since we have considerable experience in it.

Question agreed to.