At the request of Senator Griff, I move:

That the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 August 2018:

Possible regulatory approaches to ensure the safety of pet food, including both the domestic manufacture and importation of pet food, with particular reference to:

(a) the uptake, compliance and efficacy of the Australian Standard for the Manufacturing & Marketing of Pet Food (AS5812:2017);

(b) the labelling and nutritional requirements for domestically manufactured pet food;

(c) the management, efficacy and promotion of the AVA-PFIAA administered PetFAST tracking system;

(d) the feasibility of an independent body to regulate pet food standards, or an extension of Food Standards Australia New Zealand's remit;

(e) the voluntary and/or mandatory recall framework of pet food products;

(f) the interaction of state, territory and federal legislation;

(g) comparisons with international approaches to the regulation of pet food; and

(h) any other related matters.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave is granted.

The government is aware of the growing level of public concern about the safety of Australian pet food. Minister Littleproud has already acted to seek state and territory support for review of the regulation of pet food in Australia in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, including the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia and the Australian Veterinary Association. The review will examine the effectiveness of current policy settings to ensure the safety of pet food in Australia, with a report back to jurisdictions at the Agriculture Ministers' Forum on any required action.

Question agreed to.