Senator CRANE(4.36 p.m.) —I too would like to join this debate, and I begin by thanking Senator Woodley for bringing this matter before the chamber. As he would know, I did not get a mention in the quotes today, but I have had many things to say about the proper management of quarantine. I have also had a few things to say—and they are in that report—with regard to the importance of not using quarantine measures as an import barrier.

In this debate today all speakers have expressed concern at the disease regime. We have heard a little bit on the importance of the Uruguay Round, but I want to emphasise—and unfortunately I did not hear all of Senator Brownhill's comments—that as at this point in time AQIS has given a report to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy (Mr Anderson), the minister has not as yet made a final decision and the matter is under review. That is the current position at this point in time. A couple of days ago when I heard the answer given here to a question, I immediately took it up with the minister because I had some concerns, not being totally familiar with that particular aspect of it.

I want to make that point absolutely clear not only to those people in the chamber but also to those chicken growers out there, all people in all other industries and also my compatriots in Western Australia. We must, on balance, have a proper quarantine system.

The former Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, Senator Collins, seems to think the way you operate in this place is to make more noise than anybody else, that that makes you more effectual than anybody else. I make the suggestion to Senator Collins that he ought to concentrate a little bit more on the substance of what he is saying rather than on the amount of noise he might make.

We remember what happened with grain imports into this country and the concerns expressed by the people on our side of the chamber and by other people in the chamber. I expect the minister in his review to apply the same strict criteria and application—I know he will; he said that he would do it under the review that is going through now—as what we demanded then. No more, no less. I make that point absolutely crystal clear.

But I also say that I do not want the minister or anybody else to get involved in debating quarantine as an import regulation. It is not an import regulation in relation to trade. It is about keeping this country free from disease and the flow-on implications of what occurs if certain things are allowed to come into this country. I have mentioned many times in this debate that the most glaring example of this is the damage that rabbits and foxes have caused to Australia. Had we had the system in place then that we have today, rabbits and foxes would never have got here.

I refer to Senator Margetts' points. We must look at the benefits that have accrued to Australia from the Uruguay Round and what has come out of GATT. I have acknowledged in this place the work that Senator McMullan did in that area. In Canada, the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Downer) will do a very good job. I have no doubt about that. He is very conscientious about what is required for Australia and the wellbeing of all citizens—including the chicken industry.

I refer to the changes that have occurred to the United States meat import law. The global tariff quota is now 657,000 tonnes, of which Australia receives 378,000 tonnes. In Canada, the quota is 76,000 tonnes, of which Australia receives 42,000. It is a similar story in Korea. It is a similar story for rice. Remember the debate in the rice industry? For years and years and years Australian farmers could not get access to the Japanese rice market. Under the agreement, we now have access to that rice market. We have a quota based on four per cent of domestic consumption, rising to eight per cent of domestic consumption by the year 2000.

In bringing these points to the attention of the Senate, to those people listening and to the general public, I am making the point that we must deal with quarantine measures as quarantine measures and we must be absolutely ruthless in dealing with them, just as we must not jeopardise the benefits that come through to our rice producers. I refer to the dairy industry. There is an increase of 75 per cent in relation to that aspect of this industry. I do not have time to go through that matter today.

In dealing with this motion before us, I repeat what I said at the start of this debate to Senator Woodley and to other senators. I am glad we are debating this, because we can put a little bit of context and substance into the debate. In relation to the question that was asked today, you can put your own interpretations on the answers that were given. Make no mistake, I would have answered that question a little bit differently to how it was answered.

The important point that we must drive home in this debate is that the decision has not been made. It is under review. I believe that it will take some time before that review is finalised. I am comfortable with what the minister and his office have told me: it will be a very ruthless, very rigorous and very fair assessment of the current situation. That is how it sits. For those reasons alone, I do not think it is appropriate for the Senate at this point to pass this motion.