Senator CALVERT (3.12 p.m.) —I note with interest the comments from Senator Coulter. He raises very valid points, particularly concerning the importation of diseases through other product into Australia. I know Senator Murphy has been very vocal on this issue, too. I received a letter today from a very eminent former director of the Department of Primary Industries and Energy in Hobart, Mr Peter Fountain. He raised the same sorts of queries about the salmonoid industry—the same sorts of unanswered questions that AQIS seems to be selective in.

  AQIS put out its own report on the prospects of bilge water introducing diseases and it made some very strong recommendations. Yet, in this other report regarding the salmonoid industry, quoting from Senator Sherry's press release, it states, `No evidence has been found of the spread of disease via fresh products.' Mr Fountain asks in his letter whether anybody has been able to identify how these diseases have spread from country to country. This is where Senator Coulter raises the question. Has anybody been able to identify how these diseases get around? If they do not spread by fresh products, how do they spread?

  Mr Fountain, in his letter which I am going to pass on to Senator Collins, again quoting from Senator Sherry's press release, said:

Two diseases, namely furunculosis & IHN, were studied by ABARE, at the request of AQIS, to examine the potential economic impact should either of these diseases become established in Australia. AQIS's analysis concluded that the establishment of either of these diseases as a consequence of the importation of fresh salmon meat from North America was extremely improbable.

He points out quite correctly in his letter that that is a play on words. He states that ABARE, in its own report, pointed out:

The potential impact of the introduction of furunculosis & IHN to Australian waters is likely to be substantial, particularly given the high probability

I repeat, the high probability—

that the entire salmonoid industry would cease operation in the event of an outbreak.

These are the sorts of misleading statements being made by the government, by Senator Sherry and others, that are concerning our precious industry in Tasmania.

  Another case has been raised by Senator Coulter today about how viruses may have been introduced from the Northern Hemisphere into the native pilchard population. We have evidence from AQIS that there would be no chance at all of the chalk brood disease coming from New Zealand into Australia. In fact, it is now in four Australian states. So there is more and more evidence that AQIS cannot stop this happening, and I believe that all these things have to be taken into account.

Senator Bob Collins —They will be, Senator.

Senator CALVERT —I will be waiting to hear, Senator Collins, AQIS's answers to the sorts of questions that Senator Coulter raised today.