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 30 and 31 May 2024.
3.2The committee heard from the following divisions of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) and portfolio agencies:
Corporate matters divisions;
Outcome 1 divisions;
Outcome 2 divisions;
AgriFutures Australia;
Animal Health Australia;
Australian Fisheries Management Authority;
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority;
The Australian Live Export Corporation (LiveCorp);
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation; and
Plant Health Australia.
3.3The Inspector General for Biosecurity was released from the hearing without questioning.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
3.4The committee began its examination of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio with the department on 30 May 2024. Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management made an opening statement which emphasized the increase in agricultural exports and improvements to drought resilience. In addition to this, the minister’s opening statement also provided insight into the phase-out of live sheep exports by sea with the department:
… undertaking months of extensive consultation, including receiving thousands of submissions, commissioning and receiving a report by an independent panel and then announcing a $107 million transition support package. The Australian sheep industry now has the time, support and certainty it needs to plan effectively for the future.
Corporate matters
3.5The committee commenced its examination of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio on 30 May 2024 by hearing evidence under Corporate matters. The committee discussed the following topics:
the government’s performance across the Agriculture portfolio (pp. 4–11);
the government’s relationship with the National Farmers Federation and farmers (pp. 4–11, 15–18, and 38–39);
departmental funding and additional funding allocated in budget (pp. 11–15, and 18);
departmental staffing and location (pp. 18–22);
Ministerial travel and engagement for the announcement of Phase out of live sheep exports by sea (pp. 22–28, and 35–36);
Brett Cattle live export class action (pp. 28–31);
departmental budget (pp. 31–35); and
overseas network of agricultural councillors (pp. 36–38).
Outcome 1
3.6At the committee’s public hearing on 30 May 2024, the committee heard evidence from divisions under Outcome 1 of the department. The committee discussed the following matters:
National Forest Policy Statement (pp. 39–40, and 46–47);
combating illegal logging funding (p. 41);
funding of forestry programs (pp. 41–42);
emissions reduction targets (pp. 43–46);
COP28 Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use (pp. 47–48);
Accelerated Adoption of Wood Processing Innovation Program (pp. 48–49);
antibiotic use in the Tasmanian salmon industry (pp. 49–50);
South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (p. 50);
Shark Plan Representative Group (p. 51);
agricultural export markets (pp. 51–54, and 64–65);
salmon farm operators in Macquarie Harbour (pp. 54–55);
challenges facing the wine industry and proposed restructuring (pp. 55–56);
communication with European Union in relation to compliance with agricultural standards (pp. 56–60);
Indigenous Agricultural Product Framework Project (pp. 60–64); and
seafood product labelling (pp. 65–67).
Outcome 2
3.7The committee heard evidence from divisions under Outcome 2 of the department on 30 May 2024, and the topics discussed included:
potential impacts from the planned phase out of live sheep exports, gauged by industry groups such as Episode 3 and the independent panel, on:
farmers (pp. 67–74, 78–81, 91–96, 119–128, and 138–140);
meat processors (pp. 74–75);
other live exports (pp. 75);
transport operators (pp. 96–100);
shearers (pp. 100–101); and
veterinarians (p. 141).
value of live sheep exports (pp. 76–77);
strategy for the phase out of live sheep exports by sea (p. 81);
mortality rates from live export transit (pp. 82–86);
departmental and ministerial engagement with farmers regarding phase out of live sheep exports by sea (pp. 86–87);
departmental and ministerial engagement with export markets regarding phase out of live sheep exports by sea (pp. 88–89);
phase out of live sheep exports by sea transition support package (pp. 89–91);
Animal Welfare Strategy in relation to live exports (pp. 102–103);
proposed biosecurity protection levy (pp. 104–109);
independent observer policy on live exports (pp. 109–112);
vets on ships containing live exports and the administration of medicine to animals (pp. 110–111);
rural vet shortages (p. 112);
Animal Welfare Strategy (pp. 112–113);
National Carp Control Plan status (pp. 113–114);
importation of phosphate for fertiliser production and associated biosecurity risks (pp. 114–115);
outbreak of avian flu in Victoria (pp. 115–119);
proposed amendments to the Export Control Act to enable the ban of live sheep exports (pp. 128–130); and
ministerial communications with the Western Australian government (pp. 130–137).
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
3.8The committee heard evidence from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority on 31 May 2024 and discussed the following topics:
performance reporting of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (pp. 3–5);
medicinal product application process (pp. 5–6);
the independent review undertaken by Ms Mary Brennan between December 2022 and February 2023, also known as the Brennan Report (pp. 6–7, and pp. 24–25);
rapid evaluation of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (pp. 7–12 and 27);
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority Strategic Review Report (pp. 8, 11–14, and 25–27);
2023 ministerial direction to prioritise eight chemical reviews (pp. 11–12);
senior executive service officer’s travel expenses (pp. 14–17);
approval of mRNA vaccines for animals (pp. 17–18);
minor-use permit schemes for antibiotic use in relation to Tasmanian salmon farms (pp. 18–19);
use of the Pesticide Environment Risk Assessment Model for Australia software (p. 19);
location of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority office (pp. 19–20, and 24);
use of glyphosate in agricultural products pp. 20–22); and
footrot vaccine (pp. 27–28).
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
3.9The committee was provided with evidence from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation on 13 February 2024 and discussed the following topics:
potential impacts of proposed offshore windfarms on fisheries (p. 29);
application and use of seismic testing (pp. 30–31);
seafood product labelling (pp. 31–34);
oxygenation trials in Macquarie Harbour (pp. 34–37);
Centrostephanus and the urchin taskforce (pp. 34–38);
National Carp Count Plan (pp. 39–40); and
investment in seaweed production (pp. 41–42).
Australian Fisheries Management Authority
3.10At the committee’s public hearing on 31 May 2024, the committee heard evidence from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and discussed the following matters:
impact of proposed offshore windfarms on fish and commercial fishing (pp. 42–46);
prevention and response to illegal fishing incursions into Australian waters (p. 46);
Australian Fisheries Management Authority database of permit holders in relation to consultations and engagement with energy and resource companies (pp. 47–51);
impact of climate change on the Heard and McDonald Island fishery (pp. 51–52); and
conflict of interest of researchers (pp. 53–54).
Animal Health Australia
3.11The committee heard evidence from Dr Samantha Allen, acting Chief Executive Officer of Animal Health Australia and discussed the proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy (p. 54).
AgriFutures Australia
3.12At the committee’s public hearing on 31 May 2024, the committee heard evidence from AgriFutures Australia and discussed the following matters:
AgriFutures independent review (p. 55);
Carbon Conversations program (pp. 56–57); and
work being done to address workforce shortages (pp. 57–58).
Plant Health Australia
3.13At the committee’s public hearing on 31 May 2024, Plant Health Australia gave evidence to the committee and discussed the following matters:
position on the proposed biosecurity protection levy (pp. 58–59); and
questions taken on notice from senators from Additional Estimates 2023-24 (pp. 59–65).
The Australian Live Export Corporation (LiveCorp)
3.14At the committee’s public hearing on 31 May 2024, the committee heard evidence from the Australian Livestock Export Corporation Limited (LiveCorp) and discussed the following matters:
potential impacts of the planned phase out of live sheep exports on exporters (pp. 66–69, and pp. 70–71);
findings of the State of the Industry Report (pp.69–70); and
updates on Australian agricultural export markets (pp. 71–73).
Senator Glenn Sterle
Chair