Sheep and Goat Electronic Identification

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (15:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries on the topic of compliance enforcement of sheep and goat eID regulations.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Regulations have been tabled in parliament which have raised concerns with industry around fines for producers and saleyard operators around missing eID tags. This uncertainty has escalated given that the minister and the government have failed to provide any supporting compliance plan with the tabling of these regulations. It is well known within the industry that a percentage of tags are often lost in transit and are beyond the control of producers. It is the opposition's understanding that industry was consulted on these regulations back in October of last year, so the minister and her department have had six months to produce the compliance plan, yet nothing has been published to date. So my questions to the minister are:

1. Why hasn't the supporting compliance plan been drafted and released prior to the tabling of the regulations?

2. Will the minister ensure that compliance and enforcement under the government's mandated program is going to be fair and equitable for farmers?

3. Can she commit to the chamber that farmers will not be given an on-the-spot expiation fee of $315 for tag losses that are beyond their control?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:21): I thank the honourable member for her question. In terms of the implementation of eID, which is a nationally agreed system to improve traceability in livestock for Australia and for South Australia, we of course established a sheep and goat eID implementation advisory committee. That was an important thing to do because it really did take in the interests from across the sector.

It included representatives from Livestock SA sheep section, Livestock SA regarding goats, Livestock SA regarding wool, the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association, Saleyards Australia, the Australian Meat Industry Council, the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of SA and the Integrity Systems Company (ISC). There was also the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange and the Mount Gambier and District Saleyards.

I think it is fair to say that given that the purpose of eID is to improve traceability and therefore protect our livestock producers from disease or from the worst impacts of disease should those diseases enter Australia or South Australia, clearly education is going to be a key focus. I think it is fair to say that any kind of compliance measures that involve the sorts of things that have been raised by the opposition are only ever intended to be used as a last resort. We want everyone to be on the same page as far as that is possible—to be working together to protect South Australian industry from exotic diseases.