David Littleproud: ‘Labor has no plan for biosecurity on National Biosecurity Week’

Labor still has no plan for biosecurity in National Biosecurity Week. Running from August 26-30, National Biosecurity Week is a timely reminder that Labor needs to explain how it will fund, support and safeguard Australia from dangerous pests and diseases. Labor seems to have ditched plans for a fresh food tax, or biosecurity protection levy, which was due to be implemented on July 1. This fresh food tax would have hurt families at the checkout, as well as 84 agricultural commodities, which faced taxes to raise $150 million over three years, to pay for the risks created by their competitors, which is those importing from overseas. The biosecurity protection levy will not get the support it needs in the Senate, ensuring Labor’s senseless and reckless tax idea doesn’t come to fruition, after an enormous campaign by The Nationals in conjunction with industry and farmers. However, July 1 has come and gone, and Labor hasn’t announced a new plan to fund biosecurity. Labor must explain if taxpayers will now foot the biosecurity bill. I remain concerned Labor created a sustainable biosecurity funding advisory panel earlier this year to look at ways farmers could pay more for biosecurity. Labor must also declare it will leave the current industry-imposed primary industries levies system alone, which invests in research and development, marketing and biosecurity. The primary industries levies system is critical to the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of agriculture, and farmers need to know this system will not be used by the Albanese Labor Government to implement a tax. A future Coalition Government will introduce a container levy, ensuring those who create the risk also pay for the risk. David Littleproud is the leader of The Nationals.