Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-11-02 Daily Xml

Contents

Exotic Animal Diseases

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:42): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding exotic animal disease.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: In September this year, the federal government released the Joint Interagency Taskforce: Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness report. Recommendation 6 suggested that all jurisdictions review and rationalise with the purpose of modernising and maturing key response plans and policies more than three years old to ensure they are contemporary. My questions to the minister are:

1. Will the minister confirm whether she has read the report?

2. Will her government be supporting the report's recommendations?

3. Will the Malinauskas Labor government be making a public response to the recommendations?

4. In response to recommendation 6 specifically, can the minister explain whether any work has commenced on reviewing South Australia's plans and policies?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:43): I thank the honourable member for her question. Emergency animal diseases are an incredibly important topic at this time and are likely only to increase in importance because of the item that I mentioned in a response to an earlier question, as well as, of course, the increasing climate risks that we are facing.

The state jurisdiction is more than happy to consider various recommendations, including from the commonwealth government. We are always looking at updating and reviewing those policies and procedures that are essential to the potential responses and preparedness activities that we might be making. If there are changes to be made, we will certainly be addressing those and I would be able to make some announcements at that time.