Labor’s historic modernisation of Australia’s quarantine system that protects our biosecurity, passed the Parliament today.
Labor commissioned the Beale review of our biosecurity system in 2008 and produced draft legislation in 2012. The 2013 election stalled the passage of the Bill through the Parliament.
It took the Abbott Government 15 months to re-introduce the Bill and when it did, Labor found it had weakened the framework by removing the statutory position of the Inspector-General of Biosecurity.
Labor protested the removal of this crucial position and moved amendments in the Senate to restore it. With the support of the minor parties it was clear that the amendment would be successful in the Senate.
Barnaby Joyce responded by back-flipping and submitting his own amendments to achieve Labor’s objectives.
Having the most effective and responsive biosecurity system we can is crucial to our food security and to maintaining our clean, green image which also gives us a competitive advantage in global markets.
Despite Barnaby Joyce’s best efforts to weaken Labor’s Bills, the Bill that passed the Parliament today gives us the best legislative framework to ensure we maintain our envious and globally competitive biosecurity status.
THURSDAY, 14 MAY 2015
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