Question Time

EXPORT INDUSTRY

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question regarding exports.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: In July 2011, the federal Labor government announced it would move to full cost recovery for Australian food exporters. Naturally this is bad news for small and low-volume exporters, and there are thousands of small to medium food exporters in South Australia.

Federal Labor then announced reforms to offset the additional costs which will be borne by these small exporters. One such measure was a scheme to allow exporters to use officers authorised by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service to inspect fresh produce prior to export. This was to reduce their inspection charges for the produce inspection previously done by AQIS, but the use of AQIS was not intended to reduce the cost of export certification of export packing facilities, which is an entirely different issue: these still have to be inspected by AQIS staff.

Small exporters, like Riverland citrus grower Michael Punturiero, are forced to pay an establishment registration charge of some $8,530 this financial year, up from as little as $500 in the previous year, to export six to eight pallets of limes to New Zealand. My questions are:

1. Is the minister aware of this enormous cost increase affecting small food exporters in South Australia?

2. Has the minister written to her federal counterpart expressing her dismay and concern, and has she stuck up for the small South Australian exporters?

3. Did she write to Mr Michael Punturiero, who had explained his problem of increased costs relating to export packing facilities?

4. In her reply, did she tell him the answer to his problem was to use AQIS authorised officers whose authority only relates to produce and not packing facilities?

5. Does the minister have any understanding of her portfolio, and will she now write to all South Australian small exporters, be it citrus, pistachio, almonds or whatever, apologising for her lack of understanding?

The PRESIDENT: The minister will ignore the opinion.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:30): I thank the honourable member for his questions. Indeed, our biosecurity systems are very important in this state. Our national biosecurity system and Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity were developed following a national review of biosecurity in 2009, which made a number of recommendations about improving biosecurity. Nationally biosecurity is also guided by the ministers for primary industries through our standing committee (SCoPI) and reporting to SCoPI is the National Biosecurity Committee (NBC).

A national management group operates to manage national eradication programs for exotic incursions, pests and diseases, and make policy and also planning and funding decisions on behalf of SCoPI. The main focus of the NBC is to develop action plans to address the seven schedules for priority action in implementing national biosecurity under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity.

The IGAB was approved by the South Australian government in 2010 and has been signed by the majority of states, except Tasmania I understand, and the Prime Minister signed it on behalf of the commonwealth in January. There are a number of schedules and they cover the national decision-making and investment framework, biosecurity information framework, the national surveillance and diagnostic system, the national management system for established pests and diseases, the national engagement and communication framework, the national emergency preparedness and response arrangements, and the national biosecurity research, development and extension framework.

Another integral part of the national biosecurity system are the emergency disease response arrangements, and two private companies were established by the commonwealth, state and territory governments and involve industry, and provide biosecurity services to their industry and government members. The AHA manages the emergency animal disease response agreement and responds to animal health emergencies, such as foot and mouth disease, and similarly the PHA manages the emergency plant pest response deed and manages pest and disease incursions that primarily have an environmental and social amenity impact.

The NBC has developed the national environmental biosecurity response agreement, and this agreement identifies the role and responsibilities for jurisdictions, the NMG and also cost-sharing arrangements. I am advised that I have written to Mr Punturiero, but I will double-check that. In terms of the rest of the questions that my answer has not addressed, I am happy to take those on notice and bring back a response.