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Monday, 4 July 2011
Page: 3852

Live Animal Exports

Senator SCULLION (Northern Territory—Deputy Leader of The Nationals) (14:01): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Is the government aware of any abattoirs in Indonesia that currently comply with World Organisation for Animal Health, OIE, standards?

Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) (14:01): In terms of complying with OIE international standards—that is, meeting those relevant standards—in Indonesia, can I say at the outset that the industry working group set up by me has been working through the standards document. This is an issue that the opposi­tion fails to appreciate the subtlety of, but it is quite plain to those who understand this issue. We are putting in place tracking—in other words, so the standards meet supply chain assurance.

It is does not rise or fall on whether an abattoir is up to standard or meets OIE guidelines. What is required is that there be supply chain assurance in place—that is, the supply chain for tracking animals from onshore through to the boat, through to the feedlot and then from the feedlot to the slaughter yard. This requires both tracking and transparency in the supply chain plus independent auditing at the abattoir—all the way through. All of those elements are required. So it is not only that the abattoirs themselves are required to meet OIE standards, because they are; but it is important to note that for the—

Senator Scullion: Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. The question was quite a simple one: is the government aware of any abattoirs in Indonesia that currently comply with World Organisation for Animal Health, OIE, standards? The minister has on a number of occasions provided exactly the same answer he is providing now. I would like him to answer the question. Is he aware of any abattoirs in Indonesia that currently meet OIE standards?

The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order.

Senator LUDWIG: I understand the opposition's interest in this. While abattoirs are a key link in the supply chain, they are not the only part. What is important is to be able to ascertain that animals are being handled well throughout the process and that the exporters have certainty about where the animals they export are being slaughtered. It is important not to focus on, as the opposition is, on the specific abattoirs but on the entire supply chain, including ensuring animals can be traced from ship to feedlot to abattoir. There is a clear need for transparency and independent auditing in respect of that supply chain.

Senator Heffernan: Mr President, I rose some time ago on a point of order.

The PRESIDENT: I am sorry, Senator Heffernan; I did not—

Senator Heffernan: My point of order is that the report to which the minister refers is here and in it is the full traceability program adopted by the industry.

The PRESIDENT: That is not a point of order. Senator Heffernan, that is a debating point, which you can pursue at the end of question time.

Senator SCULLION (Northern Territory—Deputy Leader of The Nationals) (14:06): Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to his interview on 7.30 on 16 June, in which, in responding to a question on the standards that would need to be met in order to resume the trade, he said:

What I'd be keen to see is the OIE standard, that is the international standard and encourage stunning.

Since the government is aware of the abattoirs that currently comply with OIE standards, why was the trade to these abattoirs stopped? Will the government immediately resume trade with those abattoirs that comply with the standard?

Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) (14:05): This is the difficulty with what the opposition has been peddling all along. It is the supply chain assurance that is required to be put in place. It is not correct simply to focus on the abattoirs themselves. The abattoirs do have to meet OIE standards. They are required to meet that as part of their supply chain assurance. To indicate that abattoirs on their own could—

Senator Heffernan: I seek leave to table a report that sets out what the minister is talking about.

Leave not granted.

Senator LUDWIG: What the opposition wants is for the trade to resume immediately, notwithstanding that there would not be any safeguard to ensure animal welfare outcomes are adhered to as animals move through the supply chain. What the opposition is calling for is the continuation of animals to be mistreated throughout the supply chain. That is what the opposition says. Because there is no traceability, there is the potential for leakage out of the system. If you do not have the supply chain in place, you are providing information which this government— (Time expired)

Senator SCULLION (Northern Territory—Deputy Leader of The Nationals) (14:07): Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, if the government refuses to immediately resume exports to abattoirs that meet the govern­ment's stated requirements, what will they say to working families such as Steve and Cyndi Bakalian from Northern Feed & Cube in Katherine who, through no fault of their own, no longer have any income and are forced to lay off workers and struggle to pay their bills to other Territory businesses?

Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) (14:07): What you are asking for is a three-word stunt by Mr Abbott and those in the opposition to reopen the trade whilst there is no supply chain assurance in place. The word of the abattoirs alone, as I have said again and again in this chamber, is not sufficient; it requires traceability, transpar­ency and independent auditing. The opposi­tion fail to appreciate that that is required to ensure there is no leakage from the system. Otherwise, you would ensure that cattle would end up in noncompliant abattoirs, would be leaked from the system and would continue to be mistreated. That is what your assurance would give. We argue that supply chain assurance is required. The government, for its part, has done three things to provide assistance to industry. The first thing was to provide income subsidy arrangements for those who are unemployed as a consequence. The second thing was to provide supply chain—(Time expired)