Mr BRUCE SCOTT (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)(11.11 a.m.) —Firstly, I am representing the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy (Mr Anderson). He is with the Prime Minister (Mr Howard) who is launching the Supermarket to Asia strategy here in Canberra at this time. It is a privilege for me to represent the minister on this very important piece of legislation.

I would like to thank all those who have participated in this debate. There have been some issues raised that I will comment on. I think it is important that we have had a wide-ranging debate from both sides and I know that some of the comments made certainly have not gone unnoticed by the minister and the minister's office. To an industry as important as the beef industry and agriculture generally, not only to this nation but also to employment in regional Australia, these amendments are certainly important. They are certainly going to tidy up some of the mess that was left behind by the Labor Party in this area.

The proposed amendments to these bills remove the retrospective application of the levies. As the bill stands, the levies will come into effect from 1 July 1996 on receiving royal assent. The amendments will ensure that the levies come into effect from the first day of the month at least 30 days after the act commences. A retrospective application of the levies and charges would disadvantage producers, levy payers and intermediaries who collect the levies on the Commonwealth's behalf. A retrospective application would also impose considerable additional cost on the levies management unit, the LMU, in the Department of Primary Industries and Energy, in its attempts to recover the additional levies. The LMU is a cost recovery area, so costs incurred are passed on to industry and impact on the funding of the Australian Animal Health Council. Associated industry bodies, such as the promotional and research and development bodies, are also funded by these levies. It would have an adverse affect on those bodies.

The 30-day period after the act commences will ensure that levy payers and intermediaries who will collect the levies receive sufficient notice before the levies come into effect. An additional amendment to the Laying Chicken Levy Amendment (AAHC) Bill 1996 will remove the unnecessary duplication of the provision which limits the levy to no more than the amount recommended to the minister. This provision is already included in the Laying Chicken Levy Amendment Act 1988.

Now the Australian Animal Health Council (Live-stock Industries) Funding Bill 1996, the Meat Chicken Levy Amendment (AAHC) Bill 1996 and the Pig Slaughter Levy Amendment (AAHC) Bill 1996, are not being amended. These bills do not impose a rate of levy and so have no retrospective application date.

In their contributions to this debate several members raised the issue of the application for importation into Australia of cooked chicken meat from Thailand, Denmark and the United States. I should reiterate several points previously raised on the Hansard record. In May the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy made it clear that these are not new applications, rather that they date from the late 1980s. They have been the subject of extended analysis by both government and industry. Under legislation, the procedure for such applications is that they are referred for scientific analysis of disease threat.

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service recommended in June 1994 that cooked product should be admitted provided that it met certain strict conditions, including time and temperature parameters, which would inactivate disease agents of concern. In the consultation phase that followed, the effectiveness of the proposed time and temperature parameters as a minimum treatment against disease agents was agreed by a wide range of independent scientific authorities. It was also agreed by the Australian Poultry Industry Association and the National Poultry Association.

AQIS advised the former minister, in the former administration, on 30 May 1995—and I stress that it was May of last year—that the technical assessments were complete and that access would be granted to the United States of America, Denmark and possibly Thailand. It is very important that that is on the public record and that it is reinforced: that the former minister in the previous administration agreed to those technical assessments that were complete on 30 May 1995. The previous minister noted this, without caveat, on 2 June last year. So it is hypocritical of those on the opposite side to come into this place and criticise this decision. It is a decision that was supported from the other side.

Mr O'Keefe —You are just doing what we—

Mr BRUCE SCOTT —When you get out into the electorate you talk a different language.

Mr O'Keefe —It is you blokes who have been criticising it.

Mr BRUCE SCOTT —Out in the electorate you talk in a different language. And we also heard the former minister for primary industries using a different language—

Mr O'Keefe —What you are saying is that you now agree with it.

Mr BRUCE SCOTT —A completely unexplained delay ensued. And, on attaining government this year, the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy has been advised that all of these procedures I have outlined have taken place. Following the incompetent approach of the former minister, the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy now, Minister Anderson, has—

Mr Sawford —You are being disingenuous.

Mr BRUCE SCOTT —It is not disingenuous; it is the fact.

Mr O'Keefe —You have been hoist on your own petard so high—talk about flapping in the breeze!

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Hon. N.B. Reid) —Order!

Mr BRUCE SCOTT —Following the incompetent approach of the previous administration, which is its legacy, Minister Anderson has engaged in extensive discussions with industry. All honourable members should acknowledge that the coalition government has established two working groups—one on the establishment of imported protocols and one on any economic and adjustment effects arising from the importation of cooked chicken meat. These groups were established with the full involvement of industry. A major industry and government meeting was convened at the minister's instruction and chaired by the minister in June this year. It must be acknowledged that the government is undertaking an exhaustive effort to address matters raised by the domestic chicken and chicken meat industries.

I want to wind up by thanking those members who have contributed valuable comment to this debate. I also want to say that it is an extremely important change and I am sure these amendments will be welcomed by the industries concerned.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.

Bill—by leave—reported to the House without amendment.