Biosecurity

The Hon. S.L. GAME (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries about the biosecurity levy bill.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.L. GAME: The federal government is set to impose its biosecurity levy bill on South Australian farmers to help fund its billion-dollar sustainable biosecurity funding model. Under the new levy, our producers will have to pay 60 per cent of the total cost of the fund. The federal government will effectively tax producers, who are the ones put at risk by imports. It has been described as unfair and unjust and will add to the cost of production. This will ultimately add to the cost of living as costs are passed on to consumers.

The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance supports strengthening biosecurity but opposes the levy on farmers. The National Farmers' Federation supports appropriate resourcing of the biosecurity system, but this does not translate to support for the levy which will be introduced on 1 July. My questions to the minister are:

1. Has the minister contacted her federal counterparts to voice her concerns with this new tax on South Australian farmers?

2. How will the minister support producers up to 1 July to ensure these costs don't need to be imposed on consumers during a cost-of-living crisis?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for her question. I think the first important point to make is that a biosecurity incursion could have huge potential impacts on the cost of living. For example, when we have talked about foot-and-mouth disease in the past, it has the potential to wipe out not only the incomes of many, many livestock producers across the country but also to increase the cost of meat so that it is far beyond its current price.

So the importance of biosecurity and improved biosecurity is relevant to all parts of our community as well as our economy. There have been general discussions with the federal minister but, as the honourable member pointed out, this is a federal levy and therefore a federal decision.