Footrot

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:26): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on the topic of footrot in the South-East sheep saleyards.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: According to an official notice by PIRSA regarding the South-East sheep saleyards, in order to address the reduction in the number of sheep consignments through Naracoorte and Mount Gambier saleyards for the 2023-24 selling season it was proposed, and I quote from the government's own official notice:

…weekly markets at these saleyards become sales for terminal stock and that this reduced risk would, in turn, reduce the requirement for intensive surveillance by PIRSA inspectors whilst a more broader external review into the Footrot program was carried out.

On the Livestock SA website it states that:

A final report from the broader external review into the Footrot program is expected to be provided to the State Government and Livestock SA in early 2024.

Since the change in policy, the Mount Gambier saleyards have seen more throughput of sheep in the last six months, up until 30 January, than they did for the entire 2022-23 financial year. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given the obvious improvements in throughput in the saleyards in Mount Gambier and Naracoorte over the last six months, and the reduced risk of footrot spread with terminal stock, are these saleyards still under that same agreement and, if not, why not?

2. Given the minister has not yet received the final report of the external review into the footrot program, is the government still on track to have any proposed new statewide footrot management programs emerging from that report's finding to be in place by 1 July 2024?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:28): I thank the honourable member for her question. In answer to her first question, yes, that agreement is still in place. Final consultation on the proposed changes to surveillance occurred back in late July last year, and the changes were implemented from 15 August 2023.

The Livestock SA board at that time provided their support for the interim changes to be trialled at the South-East saleyards while the full review of the program was undertaken. In regard to that review, Livestock SA was provided with $30,000 funding from PIRSA to co-contribute to the review, that was industry funded and led, of the SA footrot program.

As I think I mentioned in answer to the previous question, and frankly was alluded to in this question by the honourable member, the review outcomes will be considered by industry and PIRSA in early 2024 and will guide industry funding of the SA footrot program and what it might look like for the 2024-25 financial year.

I do reiterate again that this program is undertaken by PIRSA under the agreement and therefore within the framework determined by Livestock SA, and obviously it needs to meet any legislative requirements. That is an agreement that, if it needs to be varied, needs to be varied with the endorsement of Livestock SA. That work is continuing, and I look forward to the outcomes of the review.