Chapter 3Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio

3.1This chapter considers the key matters discussed during the hearings for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio on 13 February 2024. The page numbers below reference the relevant Hansard transcript.

3.2The committee heard from the following areas of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) and portfolio agencies:

corporate matters

programs under Outcome 1;

programs under Outcome 2;

Australian Fisheries Management Authority;

Animal Health Australia;

Australian Livestock Export Corporation Limited (LiveCorp);

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority;

Fisheries Research and Development Corporation; and

Plant Health Australia.

3.3The committee released the following agencies from the hearing without questioning:

Australian Wool Innovation Limited;

the Inspector-General for Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports;

Meat and Livestock Australia Limited;

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (AgriFutures Australia); and

Wine Australia.

Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry

3.4The committee commenced its examination of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio with the department on 13 February 2024. In his opening statement, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management announced changes to the proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy:

The department has undertaken extensive consultation over the back half of last year, including stakeholder meetings, a survey of industry, as well as inviting submissions to be made. We've listened to that feedback and, as a result, today I'm announcing that we're changing the way the Biosecurity Protection Levy is calculated to make it fairer and more transparent ... Rates will be set using a common and equitable basis for all industry sector products and goods and will not be set by reference to 2020-21 agricultural levy rates as was originally proposed … In addition, imposition of the levy will be tailored to individual products and goods to reduce multiple imposition points across a product's supply chain.[1]

Corporate matters

3.5The committee heard evidence regarding the corporate matters of the department and discussed the following topics:

senior executive structure changes (pp. 6–9 and 12–13);

Secretary and Deputy Secretary official travel (pp. 9–12);

meetings with farmers regarding renewable energy projects (pp. 13–18);

ministerial travel (pp. 18–19);

Capability Review and the Transformation Action Plan (pp. 19–22);

departmental budget and expenditure (pp. 22–23);

paper procurement (pp. 23–24);

weather forecast accuracy for farmers (pp. 24–26); and

urea plant closures (p. 26).

Outcome 1: More sustainable, productive, internationally competitive and profitable Australian agricultural, food and fibre industries through policies and initiatives that promote better resource management practices, innovation, self-reliance and improved access to international markets.

3.6The committee heard evidence from divisions under Outcome 1 of the department on 13 February 2024, and the topics discussed included:

cost of wine production (pp. 26–27);

Brett Cattle class action (p. 27);

supermarket pricing and supplier payments (pp. 27–31);

Regional Forestry Agreements in Victoria (pp. 31–33);

Future Drought Fund and drought preparedness (pp. 33–35);

methane pledge and emissions reduction in the agriculture sector (pp.35‑46, 46–47 and 60–61);

hemp reclassification and use for animals (pp. 41–43);

Seaweed and consultation with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (pp. 43–44);

COP 28 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (pp. 44–45);

plantation forests (pp. 47–48);

acceleration of wood processing program (pp. 49–50);

Tasmanian native forestry (pp. 51–52);

National Forest Policy Statement (pp. 52–53);

Macquarie Harbour (p. 54);

salmon farming industry (pp. 54–55); and

Pacific Australia Labour Mobility program seasonal workers (pp. 56–60).

Outcome 2: Safeguard Australia's animal and plant health status to maintain overseas markets and protect the economy and environment from the impact of exotic pests and diseases, through risk assessment, inspection and certification, and the implementation of emergency response arrangements for Australian agricultural, food and fibre industries.

3.7At the committee’s public hearing on 13 February 2024, the committee heard evidence from divisions under Outcome 2 of the department. The committee discussed the following matters:

MV Bahijah livestock vessel in Western Australia (WA) (pp. 61–66, 68 and 73–77);

Pegasus Economics review into live sheep exporting industry (pp. 66–77);

Red Sea shipping contingency plans (pp. 68–73);

Independent Observer program (pp. 77–78)

investigations into so-called ‘cash for cruelty’ incidents (pp. 79–84 and 89);

Environmental Biosecurity Project Fund (pp. 84–86);

selection process for firms conducting research for the department

(pp.86–88);

trade and market access negotiations (pp.89–91);

Biosecurity Protection Levy (pp. 92–104);

detector dogs (p. 105); and

international screening processes (pp. 105–106).

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority

3.8The committee heard evidence from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority on 13 February 2024 and discussed the following topics:

executive and board positions (p. 106);

Clayton Utz and Matthews Review (pp. 106–107);

workplace culture (p. 107);

hemp nutritional classification and ingredient determinations (pp. 107–109);

ant eradication on Norfolk Island (p. 110);

executive location and staff recruitment (pp. 110–111); and

PFAS testing for pesticides (pp. 112–113).

Australian Fisheries Management Authority

3.9At the committee’s public hearing on 13 February 2024, the committee heard from Mr Wez Norris, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. The committee discussed the following matters:

fishing fleet restructuring (p. 114);

bottom trawl fisheries (p. 114);

school shark targeted fishing and overfishing (pp. 114–115); and

Orange Roughy fisheries (pp. 116–118).

Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

3.10The committee heard evidence from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) on 13 February 2023. The committee discussed the following topics with FRDC: gill nets; oxygenation projects and the Macquarie Harbour roadmap of actions (pp.118–122).

Animal Health Australia

3.11The committee heard evidence from Dr Samantha Allen, acting Chief Executive Officer of Animal Health Australia and discussed producer levy revenue and the proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy (pp. 122–123).

Australian Livestock Export Corporation Limited (LiveCorp)

3.12At the committee’s public hearing on 13 February 2024, the committee heard evidence from the Australian Livestock Export Corporation Limited (LiveCorp) and discussed the following matters:

MV Bahijah livestock vessel off the coast of WA (pp. 123–124);

animal welfare misinformation (p. 125);

Brett Cattle class action (pp. 125–126); and

industry levy revenue (pp. 126–127).

Plant Health Australia

3.13The committee heard evidence from Ms Sarah Corcoran, Chief Executive Officer and Ms Lucy Tran-Nguyen, General Manager, Partnerships and Innovation for Plant Health Australia on 13 February 2024. The committee discussed the following topics:

member feedback on Biosecurity Protection Levy (pp. 127–130);

Biosecurity Protection Levies impact on the deeds (pp. 130–131); and

membership subscription funds (p. 131).

Senator Glenn Sterle

Chair

Footnotes

[1]Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management, Proof Committee Hansard, 13 February 2024, p. 5.