-
rationale for removing drought-related payments to the states
from the department to Treasury (Proof Estimates Hansard, 25 May 2009,
pp 9–10);
-
reduction in the number of Exceptional Circumstances regions
from 74 to 58 (p. 10);
-
basis for termination of a number of programs scheduled to
conclude (pp 10–11);
-
change to funding basis of the Australian Fisheries Management
Authority (AFMA) since it became an FMA Act agency (pp 12–13);
-
staff turnover rates; movement between departments (pp 14–16);
-
explanation of the application of the efficiency dividend and
specific savings measures (pp 16–20);
-
graduate program intake (pp 17 and 52);
-
Gershon review and cuts to IT spending; contract with new IT
service provider (pp 20–22);
-
new spending on rural science and innovation programs (pp
26–29);
-
removal of the 40 percent quarantine export subsidy paid to
exporters (pp 29–30);
-
expenditure on staff travel (p. 30); and
-
administrative support for Minister's video on the departmental
website (pp 31–33).
-
future of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK)
initiative; public release of TRaCK research reports (Proof Estimates
Hansard, 25 May 2009, pp 35 and 44–45);
-
rationale for abolishing LWA and cutting research funding for
agriculture (pp 34 and 35–36);
-
analysis of economic benefit gained from every dollar invested
in LWA (pp 38 and 40);
-
estimated number of job losses and loss of research capacity if
current projects do not go ahead (pp 38, 39–40, 41–42 and 44);
-
government consultation with LWA before the decision was made
to abolish LWA (pp 38–39);
-
government's view on the Productivity Commission report
recommending more funding to be spent on agricultural R&D (p. 39);
-
future priority of projects relating to environmental flows in
agricultural landscapes (pp 40–41);
-
government undertaking in relation to the future of the Managing
Variability in Climate Change program (p. 41);
-
timeframe for the process to determine the future of programs
and projects currently managed by LWA (p. 42);
-
leveraging of direct government funding through investment by
the industry sector (pp 42 and 45–46);
-
inconsistency with Prime Minister's support for the Chinese
stimulus package providing direct assistance for agriculture (pp 42–43);
-
cost of termination of building lease (pp 43–44);
-
breakdown of funding allocation for winding-up LWA (pp 47–49);
-
future of the Environmental Water Allocation Forum (p. 50);
-
status of the draft operational plan (p. 51); and
-
projects related to the sustainability of Australia's
groundwater (p. 52).
-
issues in relation to current access arrangements for port
terminals (Proof Estimates Hansard, 25 May 2009, p. 53);
-
reasons for the significant basis difference between west and
east grain prices (pp 54 and 61);
-
complaints process; requests for reconsideration of a decision
(pp 54–55);
-
whether licensed exporters have had difficulty in accessing
finance (pp 56 and 62);
-
potential takeover of ABB by Viterra (p. 56);
-
current exemption of Melbourne Port Terminal from access
arrangements (p. 56);
-
survey of overseas vessels by marine survey underwriters and
AQIS before Australian grain can be loaded (pp 56–57);
-
reviews of the grain freight rail networks in NSW and WA
(pp 57 and 61);
-
update on delays with unloading of road freight at Newcastle
terminal (pp 57–58);
-
initiatives implemented by the Wheat Industry Expert Group
(p. 58);
-
factors taken into account during assessment of applications
for accreditation (pp 58–59);
-
auditing of accredited exporters (p. 59);
-
discussions with Japanese flour millers about the new
deregulated system (p. 59);
-
concerns from overseas markets about delays in loading grain at
four ports in WA (p. 60);
-
freight costs for growers (pp 60–61);
-
quality control issues: chemical residues and wheat
substitution (p. 61);
-
statistics on market tonnage and exports to new markets
(pp 63 and 64–65); and
-
update on the Wheat Export Technical Market Support Grants
program (pp 63–64).
-
consultation with the government on AQIS fees (Proof
Estimates Hansard, 25 May 2009, p. 66);
-
assumptions behind research into the impact of CPRS conducted
by the Centre for International Economics (CIE) and modelling by ABARE
(pp 67–68 and 71–73).
-
increased costs associated with the Carbon Pollution Reduction
Scheme (CPRS) (p. 67);
-
steps to be taken before a decision is made in 2013 about the
inclusion of the agricultural sector in the CPRS (pp 68–69);
-
whether any work is being done by MLA regarding adaptation to
changes in climate and rainfall (pp 69–70);
-
ABARE modelling on the cost of an ETS to the beef industry at a
domestic and export level (p. 70);
-
percentage of greenhouse gases in Australia that come from
livestock (pp 70–71);
-
concerns that Australia will lose its competitive edge in a
global market following the introduction of the CPRS (pp 71 and 73);
-
international trends in relation to inclusion of agriculture in
CPRS-type schemes (p. 74);
-
extent to which meat processors will qualify for assistance as
emissions-intensive and trade-exposed (EITEs) (pp 75–76);
-
assistance available to farmers from the date of introduction
of the CPRS to mitigate increased costs (pp 76–77);
-
NSW proposal to introduce a meat labelling program; Primary
Industries Ministerial Council working group examination of consumer
labelling for meat (pp 77–78);
-
legal pricing mechanisms for meat (p. 79);
-
MLA's views on a national standards system for meat labelling
(p. 80);
-
lamb dentition testing (p. 80);
-
alignment of Australian and New Zealand ETS (p. 80);
-
projections for growth in the national herd levels
(p. 81);
-
review of current beef levy (pp 81–82);
-
research into methane emissions from sheep and cattle
(pp 82–84); and
-
waiver of $5 transaction levy in areas affected by bushfires in
Victoria (pp 84–86).
-
government expenditure on drought programs (Proof Estimates
Hansard, 25 May 2009, p. 86);
-
clarification of wording in the PBS regarding reduction in
expenses 'due to cessation of drought programs' (p. 86);
-
drought policy review process (pp 86–87);
-
drought programs, including Exceptional Circumstances
assistance; Transitional Income Support (pp 87–88);
-
cost and government consideration of three reports into
drought: climate report by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO; Expert Social
Panel process and report; and Productivity Commission independent report on
government drought support programs (pp 88–90);
-
level of carbon emissions due to logging compared to carbon
emissions from bushfires (pp 90–91);
-
funding for research into climate change impacts on the
agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector, including the Climate Change
Research program (pp 91–93 and 103–104);
-
reconsiderations of areas that are no longer Exceptional
Circumstances declared (pp 93–94);
-
classification of the processing sector of agriculture as
manufacturing under the CPRS (pp 96–97);
-
cost of impact of the CPRS on the dairy industry (pp 96, 97–100
and 101);
-
farm financial sector modelling (pp 100–101);
-
National Carbon Accounting Toolbox – development of a standard
methodology for measuring and modelling the impact of soil carbon under
different farm practices (pp 102–103);
-
Climate Change Action Fund (p. 103);
-
funding for the biochar project (p. 104);
-
department's public relations budget (p. 104);
-
Mr Glyde's comments about the difficulty of getting a new
international agreement on climate change, quoted in the Rural Press (p. 105);
-
ABARE's updated modelling released in March 2009 (p. 106);
-
extent to which the manufacturing sector of agriculture will
qualify for assistance as emissions-intensive and trade-exposed (EITEs)
(pp 106–107);
-
environmental protection of the superb parrot under the EPBC
Act and impact on forestry in the Riverina area (pp 107–109);
-
ABARE estimates in relation to on-farm stocks of wheat
(pp 109–110);
-
economic impact of swine flu on consumption of pork
(p. 110);
-
impact of changes to the Youth Allowance on rural and regional
areas (pp 110–111);
-
ABARE's projections on potential land that can be converted
into afforestation; interception of water by plantations; research on the
relationship between forestry and rainfall generation (pp 111–114);
-
update on the government's election commitments in relation to
forestry, including: addressing forestry skills shortages; boosting the
export of forest products; forestry industry database; development of
regulatory framework to restrict illegally logged timber; preparing forest
industries for climate change (pp 114–118 and 122);
-
payments made under the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement
(p. 118);
-
lessons for carbon sink forests legislation (p. 120); and
-
review of non-forestry MIS (p. 120).
-
breakdown of funding for the Caring for Country program –
regional base funding and competitive grants (Proof Estimates Hansard,
25 May 2009, pp 122–123);
-
proportion of funding for administration (pp 123–124);
-
methodology for determining regional allocations
(pp 123–127 and 135);
-
assessment of applications for competitive grants by
multijurisdictional community panels; assessment framework; standard
assessment tool (pp 127 and 131–133);
-
grant application process (pp 127 and 129);
-
probity audit of the application and assessment process
(p. 128);
-
limits on the size of the grants (p. 128);
-
review of the grant and application process (p. 129);
-
impact of budget cuts on the Caring for Country program
(pp 129–130);
-
annual review of projects funded and outcomes achieved under
the Caring for Country program (pp 130 and 136);
-
consultation process with NRM groups (pp 130–131);
-
potential funding gap for NRM groups between 1 July and
September (p. 131);
-
steps taken to improve transparency in decision making to
achieve expected project outcomes (p 133);
-
whether applications for Landcare funding are part of the
Caring for Country process (pp 133–134);
-
level of funding requests under the Caring for Country program;
notional funding allocation for future years for projects extending over
several years (pp 134–135 and 136–137); and
-
funding for the Ghost Nets project run by the Northern Gulf
Natural Resource Management Region (p 137).
-
replacement for Defeating the Weed Menace program; funding for
the National Weeds and Productivity Research program; cost of weeds to
Australia (Proof Estimates Hansard, 25 May 2009, pp
138–140);
-
work of the Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee; progress
on the recreational fishing industry development strategy; funding allocated
under the Recreational Fishing Community Grants program; funding options for
Recfish Australia (pp 140–142);
-
funding for the establishment of a new peak industry body,
following the demise of the Australian Seafood Industry Council in 2006
(pp 142–143);
-
funding for the Fisheries Research program and the Reef Rescue
program (pp 143–144);
-
consultation with the department before the announcement of the
Coral Sea Conservation Zone (p 144); and
-
impact of the Coral Sea conservation zone on commercial and
recreational fishing; statistics in relation to the Eastern Tuna and Billfish
fishery and Coral Sea fishery; bioregional marine planning processes (Proof
Estimates Hansard, 26 May 2009, pp 4–13).
-
update on patrols of the Oceanic Viking to the Southern
Ocean (Proof Estimates Hansard, 26 May 2009, pp 14–15);
-
management of the Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery (p 15);
-
incursions in the north-west fishing zone; discussions with the
East Timorese government about illegal fishing in East Timorese waters
(p. 16);
-
update on the amalgamation of management advisory committees
(MACs) (p. 17);
-
change to AFMA's funding basis when it became an FMA Act agency
(p. 17);
-
new appointments to board of directors (pp 17–18);
-
management and monitoring of fish species classified as
overfished, including Pink Ling (p. 18); and
-
proposed boat burning facility on Cape York (p. 19).
-
funding for the Live Trade Animal Welfare Partnership,
replacing the Live Animal Trade Program; proportion of industry to government
funding; operation of the new program (Proof Estimates Hansard,
26 May 2009, pp 19–20);
-
funding for DAFF position in Dubai involved in
government-to-government negotiations on agricultural issues (pp 20–21);
-
progress towards the resumption of the live cattle and sheep
trade into Egypt (pp 21–22);
-
ABARE database of trade with our agricultural trading partners
(p. 22);
-
trading of livestock into the Middle East and North Africa by
competing countries (p. 22);
-
international funding contributions to improve animal welfare
standards (p. 22);
-
operation of Australia's existing Live Animal Trade Program;
improvements since the program began in 2004-05 (pp 22–23);
-
export trade in southern bluefin tuna; quotas for Australia and
Japan; review of quotas (pp 23–24);
-
update on the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC); resolution
to address deficiencies identified in its performance review; meeting of
coastal states convened by Australia (pp 25–27);
-
role of agricultural attachés;
plans to reduce the number of staff in Brussels and Washington and combine
the positions in Paris and Rome (pp 27–28);
-
update on negotiations for a free trade agreement with Chile
(pp 28–29); and
-
evaluation of the US free trade agreement in terms of benefits
to primary industries in Australia (pp 29–30).
-
comparison with New Zealand cost recovery practices (Proof
Estimates Hansard, 26 May 2009, pp 35 and 36);
-
AQIS efficiencies and reforms; engagement with industry sectors
on reforms and forward work plans (pp 35–37 and 57–58);
-
scope for phasing in full cost recovery (pp 38, 47 and 55);
-
whether the previous government had taken the decision to cease
the subsidy; whether there was provision for a further four year's funding in
the forward budget estimates (pp 38–39);
-
cost-recovery impact statements (pp 39–40 and 55);
-
revenue shortfalls (pp 41–44);
-
Minister's involvement in the consultation process with
industry; department's schedule of meetings with industry groups; timing of
recommendations arising from consultative process (pp 45 and 47–48);
-
timetable for presentation of regulations to parliament (pp
45–46);
-
subsidies provided by competing countries (pp 46–47);
-
whether there is expected to be a decline in demand for
services as a result of the downturn in economic activity (p. 47);
-
cost increase of electronic and manual certification for the
wool industry (p. 49);
-
other non-food industries facing fee increases arising from the
budget (p. 49);
-
comparison of Australia's level of support and funding for
inspection services in the meat industry with international competitors such
as Brazil and the US (p. 50);
-
AQIS review of fees and charges to fully cost-recover
activities performed on behalf of importers; cost recovery impact statement
(pp 50–54);
-
modelling on the impact of removal of the subsidy; whether any
modelling has been done at an enterprise level (pp 55 and 58–59);
-
potential impact of the subsidy removal on jobs, particularly
in regional areas (p. 60);
-
consultation with industry (pp 60–61); and
-
timing of implementation of new fees and charges
(pp 61–62).
-
importation of uncooked dry marinated green prawns into
Australia; concerns that the regulations are inadequate to protect against
marinade being rinsed off then used for fish bait or by restaurants as a
cheap source of raw prawns instead of more expensive local product;
justification for the dry marinade being adequate to protect the Australian
prawn industry (Proof Estimates Hansard, 26 May 2009,
pp 30–34);
-
whether live animal exports are still a high-risk enterprise
(p. 48);
-
protocol for the importation of animals into Australia (p. 48);
-
issues relating to the export of bananas from the Philippines
to Australia (p. 50);
-
establishment of a ministerial task force to work with the
agriculture export industry (p. 57);
-
importation requirements for Australian sausage casings sent
offshore for processing; (pp 63–64);
-
update on equine influenza and preparation for the coming
breeding season; changes implemented as a result of the previous outbreak
(pp 64–65);
-
development of an Australian standard for organic production;
AQIS' ongoing involvement in certification (pp 65–70);
-
provision of fresh fruit on incoming international flights and
measures to mitigate the risk of bringing such items into Australia (p. 71);
-
impact of budget cuts on staffing levels (pp 71–72);
-
progress towards resumption of red meat and wild game exports
to the Russian Federation following suspension of 19 processing plants due to
microbial contamination in meat (pp 72–73); and
-
removal of irradiation as an option for treating imported dried
cat food due to its harmful effect on the health of cats; irradiation of
other products including some types of dog food and dried pigs' ears
(pp 73–74).
-
actions taken in the last three months since new Chief
Executive Officer, Ms Brenda McGahan, joined AWI (Proof Estimates Hansard,
26 May 2009, p. 76);
-
AWI marketing and branding strategy using the Woolmark;
marketing of Australian wool products, including Australian Merino (pp 76–77
and 80–82);
-
management of conflicts of interest on AWI board, including Dr
Meredith Shiel's connection with the drug Tri-Solfen; governance procedures (pp 77–79);
-
misleading reports in the media about AWI funding Bayer's
registration of the mulesing pain relief treatment Tri-Solfen (pp 79–80);
-
update on corporate social responsibility program (p. 82);
-
commercial release of clips (pp 82 and 85);
-
sales of non-mulesed wool (pp 82–83);
-
progress towards the phasing out of mulesing by the end of 2010
(pp 83–84);
-
whether AWI has a marketing program in Thailand (p. 85);
-
percentage of wool being processed by China (p. 85);
-
whether shearer numbers are adequate; training of shearers (p. 85);
-
feedback from national wool grower day (pp 85–86);
-
advertising to promote the sale of woollen products within
Australia (p. 86);
-
presentation of the draft annual operating plan to wool growers
(p. 86);
-
relationship between AWI and Bayer (pp 86–87); and
-
whether Zegna is still buying Australian wool (p. 87).
-
review of APVMA's cost recovery arrangements (Proof
Estimates Hansard, 26 May 2009, pp 87–88);
-
request from AWI for APVMA to review its current
species-specific guidelines on setting maximum residue limits (p. 88);
-
application from Bayer for registration of Tri-Solfen (pp 88–89);
-
budget and staffing issues, including: impact of departmental
budget cuts on APVMA; APVMA workload (pp 89–90);
-
agency's jurisdiction (p. 90);
-
update on work being done in relation to permits issued for
minor use, including stakeholder liaison (pp 90–91);
-
safety threshold for the presence of Atrazine in waterways;
drinking water standards; extent of APVMA's role and responsibility in
relation to drinking water (pp 92–95);
-
investigation into the link between fish deaths, abnormalities
and chemical run-off in Queensland (p. 93);
-
studies into the correlation between Atrazine and obesity (pp 94
and 95);
-
use of the precautionary principle (pp 95–96);
-
pesticides and herbicides registered for use by the forestry
industry in Tasmania; work done to assess the toxicology of the mixture of
those chemicals (pp 96–97);
-
use of chemicals by Tasmanian forestry industry that are not
registered for general use by APVMA; use of chemicals under research permits (pp 97–98);
and
-
British High Court ruling in relation to spray drift from
pesticides; European Union decisions (p. 98).
-
impact of amendments to Division 7A of the tax laws on farms
owned by family companies; extent to which the department was consulted by
Treasury in the development of this measure (Proof Estimates Hansard,
26 May 2009, pp 102–105);
-
impact of the budget cuts on the division's programs (p. 105);
-
value of Australia's total farm and fisheries production; level
of food imports and exports (pp 105–106);
-
work on soil condition and fertility (p. 106);
-
review of the Horticultural Code of Conduct (pp 107–108);
-
Agricultural Finance Forum (p. 108);
-
'Grown in Australia' label operated by the Australian Made
Campaign Ltd (pp 108–109);
-
Food Regulation Ministerial Council's review of food labelling
across Australia (pp 109–110);
-
research into the long-term impact of non-forestry managed
investment schemes on agricultural production (pp 110–112); and
-
Regional Food Producers Innovation and Productivity program (pp 112–115).
-
new wheat classification panel (Proof Estimates Hansard,
26 May 2009, pp 123–124);
-
research into the effectiveness and suitability of GM canola (p. 124);
-
level of anti-GM sentiment amongst farmers (p. 124);
-
obligation on the non-GM grower to avoid contamination with GM
crops (pp 124–125);
-
research into other potential GM traits in crops such as wheat
and barley (p. 125);
-
additional costs associated with segregation of non-GM canola;
feedback from growers (pp 126–127);
-
ongoing GM trials across Australia (p. 127);
-
evaluation of seeding of last year's GM canola crop outside the
paddock (pp 127–128); and
-
other GM crops grown commercially in Australia and overseas (p.
128).