Biosecurity

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): Further supplementary: why didn't the Minister for Primary Industries make a submission?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, you can answer if you want. I am not sure how that actually arises from the original answer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:27): I am very pleased that the federal government has engaged in a far more collaborative approach since the change of government last year, and looking at the opportunities to discuss with the federal government, and particularly the federal agricultural minister, has been vastly improved because of the reinstatement of the agricultural ministers' meetings, which under the former Liberal federal government were almost non-existent. Indeed, there was a proposal, I am advised, to get rid of them altogether.

I am pleased that Senator Murray Watt, the minister in the federal government, reinstated those, and we have had a number of those where we can look at cross-jurisdictional issues, we can look at the sorts of issues and priorities that we want addressed on a national level, and I am very pleased that biosecurity has been one of those.