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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-11-26 Daily Xml
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Yamba Quarantine Station

Mr BOYER (Wright) (14:39): Again, my question is to the Minister for Primary Industries. On what date were the temporary fruit and vegetable disposal bins located near Yamba quarantine station first emptied after the commencement of the zero tolerance policy?

The SPEAKER: A very specific question. Minister.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:39): I thank the member for his question, but I think we need to point out that they're not near: they are five kilometres up the highway.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: As I've said—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, be seated for one moment. The member for Playford can leave for the remainder of question time under 137A.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: Somewhere near the 'Maree river', maybe.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education is warned—

Mr Pederick: Or 'Malala'.

The SPEAKER: —as is the member for Hammond. The minister has the call.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: Thank you, sir. As I have said a number of times, when the certified biosecurity officer goes down to the bins, and whether it was the temporary bins at Bede Road or whether it is now the permanent bins at Bede Road, they determine if the bin has a level of fruit that needs to be removed. As I said, they will call in the contractors to take away the temporary bin and take it to Buronga. If it's the permanent bin, they remove the top, they use the excavator and they decant the fruit from the excavator into a vessel, which is then taken to Buronga.

I think it needs to be noted that the bins are there for a reason, and that reason is for people to voluntarily declare the fruit that they would otherwise have brought into South Australia and put a $1.28 billion industry at risk. For a long period of time, if we take a step back to 2012, when the then government was going to remove the full-time inspection station—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is for debate?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Debate, sir.

The SPEAKER: With respect to the minister, I have listened to your former answer. I've let you monopolise the entirety of your time. This particular question was even more specific. I'm willing to allow the minister to have some relevant preamble; you are starting to absorb that. Minister.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: Thank you, sir. What I would say is that the appropriate officer deems when the bin needs to be empty, it is empty, so—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Elizabeth, we have the question. The minister has the call.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: Again, the certified biosecurity officer will go down and inspect the bin, and if he sees that the bin has plenty more capacity, then the bin will continue to be used and filled until it reaches a level that the biosecurity officer deems it needs to be emptied. When it's emptied, the contractors will be called in, the excavator will come along and take out that material, it will be decanted into a vessel—

Ms COOK: Point of order, sir: the debate continues.

The SPEAKER: I believe that the minister is coming back to the substance of the question. Minister?

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: As I've said—

The SPEAKER: If not, the minister will conclude his answer.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: If those opposite don't agree with the regime of zero tolerance, then maybe they can shed some light. But what I would say is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister for Transport, be quiet.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: What I would say is that the certified officer—the biosecurity officer—deems the level of the bin. If it's satisfactory, he will call in the contractors to empty that bin and have that fruit removed and disposed of.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order. Has the minister finished his answer?

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: Yes.

The SPEAKER: The minister has concluded his answer. I will take another one on my left and then we will move to one on my right. The member for Wright.

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