THE Federal Government has announced it will demand Biosecurity Australia conduct an Import Risk Analysis for beef imports destined to Australia following the easing of restrictions on countries which have had bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
The announcement by Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, in Canberra today is a major win for the Opposition and many grassroots farmers who feared the previously announced import assessment would not be rigorous enough to uphold Australia's clean-green disease-free status.
Mr Burke has written to the Director of Biosecurity Australia requesting an Import Risk Analysis for fresh beef (chilled or frozen) from countries other than New Zealand be commenced.
The Government had promised a risk assessment in its recently released import protocols, which included a questionnaire for completion by prospective export nations.
There would not have been any requirement for Australian experts to personally verify the statements, and Australians would only conduct their own inspections if there was further cause for concern.
The change to an IRA will mean Australians will control a more thorough investigation process which could last as long as two years.
The decision will thrill the Opposition which has called for the IRA process to help safeguard Australia's image both domestically and with important export customers, like Japan and Korea.
Peak cattle lobby groups had argued against the need for an IRA because of the length of time such an investigation would take and the burden that would place on international trading partners.
But Mr Burke has now acknowledged the groundswell of community concern surrounding the change in import rules.
"Since the Government decision, there has been considerable community discussion about the methods which would be used to determine protocols for imports," Mr Burke said.
"There has been significant community concern raised questioning whether or not the protocols which were to be put in place, adequately engaged the community and the extent to which they were different from a legislated Import Risk Analysis.
"These community concerns have been brought to me directly through Labor backbench colleagues and through the media.
"I have formed a view that conducting an Import Risk Analysis is the best way of reassuring the Australian community that effective protocols will be put in place to provide for the safety of imports."
Mr Burke said the difference between an assessment and the new analysis announced today is that this is "a formal process with statutory time lines, guaranteed opportunities for community engagement and consultation, and involvement of the eminent scientists group".
"In light of community concern there is considerable benefit in adopting the tried and true method for assessing imports which applies to each commodity.
"The policy which was previously announced, remains in place but the method at arriving at the protocols will have a higher level of formality.
"I remain firmly committed to Australia having rigorous standards in food safety and a science based biosecurity system. This decision will help deliver both."
Shadow spokesman for agriculture, John Cobb, said the decision was a "victory for commonsense" and comes on the eve of a Private Members Bill being introduced to the Senate on the matter.
"This decision to undertake a rigorous science based Import Risk Analysis will ensure that the decision to allow beef in from countries which have had a BSE outbreak will be based an accurate, detailed and factual scientific evaluation," Mr Cobb said.
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