The Minister
for Agriculture and Water Resources from 21.9.15 to 27.10.17
and from 6.12.17 to 20.12.17 was Nationals MP for New England Barnaby
Joyce.
and from 6.12.17 to 20.12.17 was Nationals MP for New England Barnaby
Joyce.
The current Agriculture and Water Resources Minister since 20.12.17 is
Nationals MP for Maranoa David Littleproud, a former banker who has been
in federal parliament for less than two years.
Nationals MP for Maranoa David Littleproud, a former banker who has been
in federal parliament for less than two years.
The Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection from 23.12.14 onwards
and Minister for Home Affairs since 20.12.17 is Liberal MP for Dickson
Peter Dutton.
and Minister for Home Affairs since 20.12.17 is Liberal MP for Dickson
Peter Dutton.
These three men
between them have brought Australian biosecurity to its
knees and kept it there.
Funding cuts, staffing cuts and poorly planned reorganisation made sure a
failing biosecurity system ensued.
The story so far.......
knees and kept it there.
Funding cuts, staffing cuts and poorly planned reorganisation made sure a
failing biosecurity system ensued.
The story so far.......
Quarantine staff feared three years ago staff cuts would threaten the
biosecurity of Australia's multi-million-dollar agricultural industries.
biosecurity of Australia's multi-million-dollar agricultural industries.
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) surveyed 300 of its
members in 2014 and found two thirds said "Australia's biosecurity
has become worse or significantly worse over the past decade due
to declining standards and increasing risks".
members in 2014 and found two thirds said "Australia's biosecurity
has become worse or significantly worse over the past decade due
to declining standards and increasing risks".
The figures have been reviewed as the Queensland Government
moves to spend about $15 million on south-east prawn farms while
white spot disease is traced and eradicated.
moves to spend about $15 million on south-east prawn farms while
white spot disease is traced and eradicated.
It is unknown what caused the white spot disease outbreak that has
shut down the Logan River prawn farms, where prawns with a combined
value of $25 million have been euthanased, but tests have shown white
spot on imported frozen prawns from Asia.
shut down the Logan River prawn farms, where prawns with a combined
value of $25 million have been euthanased, but tests have shown white
spot on imported frozen prawns from Asia.
This week, the Federal Government issued a recall of all remaining
frozen imported prawns for testing.
frozen imported prawns for testing.
Tight budget puts pressure on capacity
CPSU deputy national secretary Rupert Evans said the clear view of
members was that budget cuts, the adoption of a risk-based approach,
and industry self-regulation would lead to more biosecurity incursions.
members was that budget cuts, the adoption of a risk-based approach,
and industry self-regulation would lead to more biosecurity incursions.
"Our members would be saddened and even gutted that they might be
proven right," he said.
proven right," he said.
The biosecurity approach is based on risk analysis and shared
responsibility between governments and industry under the
Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity.
responsibility between governments and industry under the
Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity.
A review of the IGAB found a tight fiscal environment for governments
had placed significant pressure on biosecurity budgets and their
capacity to meet biosecurity commitments.
had placed significant pressure on biosecurity budgets and their
capacity to meet biosecurity commitments.
Not enough people on job
The union said it worried about the impact of efficiency measures.
"In 2013-14 there was a more than 10 per cent cut to the budget to
Department of Agriculture biosecurity, and it was said at the time, this
was going to lead to not enough people to do the job," Mr Evans said.
Department of Agriculture biosecurity, and it was said at the time, this
was going to lead to not enough people to do the job," Mr Evans said.
"Another part of risk-based intervention is that it needs to be based on
sound and unbiased evidence, not just on simply reducing costs.
sound and unbiased evidence, not just on simply reducing costs.
In
2016–17, the major WSD outbreak in Queensland prawn farms led to a
six-month suspension of uncooked prawn imports into Australia. Very
high levels of WSSV were found in imported uncooked prawns, destined
for retail outlets across the country, which had already passed, Australia’s
border biosecurity controls. This indicated a major failure of Australia’s
biosecurity system, which was not providing an appropriate level of
protection.
six-month suspension of uncooked prawn imports into Australia. Very
high levels of WSSV were found in imported uncooked prawns, destined
for retail outlets across the country, which had already passed, Australia’s
border biosecurity controls. This indicated a major failure of Australia’s
biosecurity system, which was not providing an appropriate level of
protection.
During
this review, I found several deficiencies in the management of the
biosecurity risk of uncooked prawn imports, with broader implications for
Australia’s biosecurity risk management more generally. I found that
specific policy elements and their implementation had sowed the seeds
of failure many years before, while progressive and cumulative acts,
omissions and systemic factors at many levels exacerbated the risks over
time. Many of these failings have been swiftly addressed by the department
and other stakeholders, but more needs to be done to manage the biosecurity
risks of prawn imports in the future. I have made recommendations to improve
this biosecurity risk management framework and its ability to deal with
ongoing and emerging challenges. Long-term adequate resourcing will be a
key success factor in this endeavour.
biosecurity risk of uncooked prawn imports, with broader implications for
Australia’s biosecurity risk management more generally. I found that
specific policy elements and their implementation had sowed the seeds
of failure many years before, while progressive and cumulative acts,
omissions and systemic factors at many levels exacerbated the risks over
time. Many of these failings have been swiftly addressed by the department
and other stakeholders, but more needs to be done to manage the biosecurity
risks of prawn imports in the future. I have made recommendations to improve
this biosecurity risk management framework and its ability to deal with
ongoing and emerging challenges. Long-term adequate resourcing will be a
key success factor in this endeavour.
The
importation of uncooked prawns and other seafood into Australia will
continue to pose significant and changing challenges for the department
and industry. The recent WSD outbreak in Queensland, and the subsequent
findings of massive importation of WSSV-infected prawns, despite previous
import requirements intended to keep this virus out, highlight the need for the department to remain vigilant, proactively review and update import requirements and policies, and maintain excellent communication with both government and industry stakeholders. Above all, detecting and deterring deliberate or inadvertent failures to implement biosecurity risk management policies effectively must be a priority. Governments and aquatic industries must cooperate to resource and implement these efforts. Failure to do so will imperil the future development of a sustainable and profitable aquaculture sector in Australia.
continue to pose significant and changing challenges for the department
and industry. The recent WSD outbreak in Queensland, and the subsequent
findings of massive importation of WSSV-infected prawns, despite previous
import requirements intended to keep this virus out, highlight the need for the department to remain vigilant, proactively review and update import requirements and policies, and maintain excellent communication with both government and industry stakeholders. Above all, detecting and deterring deliberate or inadvertent failures to implement biosecurity risk management policies effectively must be a priority. Governments and aquatic industries must cooperate to resource and implement these efforts. Failure to do so will imperil the future development of a sustainable and profitable aquaculture sector in Australia.
ABC
News, 2 July
2018:
A highly
destructive virus has again been detected in supermarket prawns
despite tightened import restrictions introduced after a disease outbreak
decimated south-east Queensland's prawn farming industry.
despite tightened import restrictions introduced after a disease outbreak
decimated south-east Queensland's prawn farming industry.
The shock results come
as a Four Corners investigation reveals how some
ruthless seafood importers have been deliberately evading Australia's
biosecurity defences in a hunt for profit, exploiting a quarantine regime
identified as "remarkably naive" in a top-level inquiry.
ruthless seafood importers have been deliberately evading Australia's
biosecurity defences in a hunt for profit, exploiting a quarantine regime
identified as "remarkably naive" in a top-level inquiry.
The revelations raise
troubling questions about the nature of Australia's preparedness to combat a
slew of exotic diseases and pests that have
the potential to wreak carnage on the economy.
the potential to wreak carnage on the economy.
Brian Jones, former
adviser to the Inspector-General of Biosecurity,
said the incursion of white spot disease in 2016 "won't be the last".
said the incursion of white spot disease in 2016 "won't be the last".
"The Government is
not fulfilling its duty to protect the border," he said.
In the face of soaring
international trade, scientists, industry executives
and former government officials have told Four Corners that Australia's
biosecurity defences have been simply inadequate…..
and former government officials have told Four Corners that Australia's
biosecurity defences have been simply inadequate…..
In a scathing review Mr
Jones co-authored, the Inspector-General found the devastating outbreak of
white spot was "a major failure of Australia's
biosecurity system".
biosecurity system".
Critical to this failure
was a policy decision that allowed seafood importers
to unpack shipping containers into cold stores unsupervised by any
government officials.
to unpack shipping containers into cold stores unsupervised by any
government officials.
The policy afforded
rogue players days and sometimes weeks to disguise
dodgy consignments from inspectors, including by substituting diseased
prawns for clean ones.
dodgy consignments from inspectors, including by substituting diseased
prawns for clean ones.
The Inspector-General
found the department had placed "too much trust
in importers to do the right thing".
in importers to do the right thing".
"The department
demonstrated a remarkable level of naivety about the
potential for importers to wilfully circumvent import conditions for any
class of prawns that required viral testing."
potential for importers to wilfully circumvent import conditions for any
class of prawns that required viral testing."
The department conceded
to Four Corners there were "significant
shortcomings in its handling of this issue", and insisted it had "taken
substantial action to address them".
shortcomings in its handling of this issue", and insisted it had "taken
substantial action to address them".
Import conditions were
tightened midway through last year after a
six-month trade suspension was lifted.
six-month trade suspension was lifted.
As of July 2017, no
containers could be opened except by biosecurity
officers.
officers.
Yet the virus — which
poses no harm to humans — has reared its head
again.
again.
In April, Queensland officials identified the virus in the wild,
at locations
in the northern reaches of Moreton Bay.
in the northern reaches of Moreton Bay.
Then, in late May, the
Department of Agriculture quietly released a note
that said 12 consignments of prawns — stopped at the wharves under
the new "enhanced" regime — had tested positive for the disease.
that said 12 consignments of prawns — stopped at the wharves under
the new "enhanced" regime — had tested positive for the disease.
Fresh testing reveals
white spot
Now, Four Corners can
reveal the virus is still getting past the
department's frontline.
department's frontline.
Testing conducted for
the program found traces of the virus present in
30 per cent of prawn samples purchased from a range of supermarket
outlets in the south-east Queensland area.
30 per cent of prawn samples purchased from a range of supermarket
outlets in the south-east Queensland area.
The samples were
examined by University of the Sunshine Coast
professor Wayne Knibb, an expert in the genetics of marine animals.
He tested green prawns from 10 major retail outlets.
professor Wayne Knibb, an expert in the genetics of marine animals.
He tested green prawns from 10 major retail outlets.
"We found about a
third of the material that we looked had evidence
of white spot DNA in it," he said.
of white spot DNA in it," he said.
Professor Knibb's
testing has been independently verified by a separate
laboratory.
laboratory.
"Clearly, if we can
find in a very limited sample 30 per cent of samples
that were in the history connected or in contact with the virus, then
clearly we're playing with fire here," he said.
that were in the history connected or in contact with the virus, then
clearly we're playing with fire here," he said.
"We have a route of
a virus that is a particularly dangerous virus and
shown worldwide just how destructive it can be. It's damaged whole
national economies, and it's cost billions of dollars."
shown worldwide just how destructive it can be. It's damaged whole
national economies, and it's cost billions of dollars."
ABC TV “Four Corners”, 2 July 2018:
Four Corners has
confirmed that supermarket-bought prawns are still
being used by recreational fishers on the Logan River upstream from
prawn farms…..
being used by recreational fishers on the Logan River upstream from
prawn farms…..
It has
been put to us that some front-line officers working for the
Department over the past decade have engaged in any or several of
the following: corrupt conduct including the acceptance of financial
benefits from importers, and the extortion of some importers in return
for financial benefits. Is the Department's aware of any cases of this
nature or similar in the past decade?
Department over the past decade have engaged in any or several of
the following: corrupt conduct including the acceptance of financial
benefits from importers, and the extortion of some importers in return
for financial benefits. Is the Department's aware of any cases of this
nature or similar in the past decade?
All allegations of corruption in this
area of our business are referred
to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI).
We cannot comment on current or ongoing investigations for
operational security reasons. ACLEI have investigated a number of
matters involving corrupt conduct of departmental staff and publish
all results on their website.
to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI).
We cannot comment on current or ongoing investigations for
operational security reasons. ACLEI have investigated a number of
matters involving corrupt conduct of departmental staff and publish
all results on their website.
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