Chapter 1
Introduction and background to the inquiry
Introduction
1.1
On 20 October 2009 the government announced that Australia was adjusting
its imported food policy settings regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) for beef and beef products. The changes follow a review of current
settings, including an update of the science of BSE and consideration of the
risks associated with importing beef and beef products undertaken by Professor
John Mathews. The new policy came into effect on 1 March 2010.
Terms of reference
1.2
On 27 October 2009 the Senate referred the following matters to the
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and
report by 30 November 2009:
The possible impacts and consequences for public health,
trade and agriculture of the Government's decision to relax import restrictions
on beef, especially relating to the import of beef from countries previously
affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow
disease.
1.3
The committee subsequently resolved to extend the reporting date on a
number of occasions to allow for a more detailed examination of the issues.
Conduct of the inquiry
1.4
The inquiry was advertised in The Australian newspaper and on the
Internet. The Committee also invited submissions from Commonwealth, State and
Territory governments and interested organisations and individuals.
1.5
The committee received 35 submissions (see Appendix 1). A number of
individuals and organisations also provided additional information and
correspondence that was authorised for publication. A list of these documents
is also at Appendix 1.
1.6
The committee held public hearings in Canberra on 14 December 2009,
5 February 2010, 22 February 2010, and 25 February 2010. Witnesses who
gave evidence at the hearings are listed in Appendix 2.
1.7
On 8 March 2010 the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry,
the Hon. Tony Burke MP, announced that he had written to the Director of
Quarantine requesting Biosecurity Australia do an Import Risk Analysis (IRA) for
fresh beef (chilled or frozen) from countries other than New Zealand. The
committee resolved to table an interim report on 18 March 2010. This interim
report will detail the committee's deliberations to date. The committee also
resolved to hold a further public hearing before tabling a final report at a
date to be fixed.
The report
1.8
Chapter 2 of the report outlines Australia's food safety policy in
relation to BSE and the legislative and administrative framework under which
the original ban on beef imports from countries reporting any BSE cases (and
those countries exposed to high risk factors) was implemented. Chapter 3
considers the process through which the revised policy was developed and the
procedures through which the policy will be implemented. Chapter 4 of the
report sets out the committee's conclusions and recommendations in relation to
this inquiry.
Acknowledgements
1.9
The committee appreciates the time and effort of all those who provided
both written and oral submissions to the inquiry. Their work has assisted the
committee considerably in its inquiry.
A note on references
1.10
References in this report are to individual submissions as received by
the committee, not to a bound volume. References to the committee Hansard are
to the proof Hansard: page numbers may vary between the proof and the official Hansard
transcript.
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