❓ Question regarding the decision to allow importation of table grapes from California into Western Australia and the Minister's response, including actions taken and risk assessments.
AnsweredQoN 870Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
TABLE
GRAPES — IMPORTATION
870. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the decision to allow the importation of table
grapes from California into Western Australia on 24 July 2013 and the calls
since that date, in particular by the Member for West Swan, for the minister to
review that decision.
(1) What action has the minister
taken as a result of those calls?
(2) Have any National Party members of Parliament asked the
minister to reconsider this decision?
(3) If yes to (2), which members and on what date or dates
did they first ask the minister?
(4) Have any
National Party members been briefed by the minister's department on
this issue; and, if yes, when?
(5) What risk assessments have been done and will the
minister table a copy of them?
GRAPES — IMPORTATION
870. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the decision to allow the importation of table
grapes from California into Western Australia on 24 July 2013 and the calls
since that date, in particular by the Member for West Swan, for the minister to
review that decision.
(1) What action has the minister
taken as a result of those calls?
(2) Have any National Party members of Parliament asked the
minister to reconsider this decision?
(3) If yes to (2), which members and on what date or dates
did they first ask the minister?
(4) Have any
National Party members been briefed by the minister's department on
this issue; and, if yes, when?
(5) What risk assessments have been done and will the
minister table a copy of them?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1) I sought
to clarify with the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia—DAFWA—that
an independent expert had undertaken an assessment that the importation of
Californian table grapes did not pose an unacceptable risk. I sought
confirmation that the federal Department of Agriculture was the body
responsible for setting criteria for the importation of Californian table
grapes. Under our international trade obligations, Western Australia is not
able to apply any sanitary or phytosanitary measures that are more trade restrictive
than necessary to achieve Australia's appropriate level of protection.
(2) No National Party member of Parliament has spoken to me
to ask me to reconsider this decision.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Officers
of the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia were requested to
attend a meeting at Parliament House at 3.00 pm on 5 August 2013 to discuss the
import of table grapes from California. Hon Terry Redman attended part of the
meeting.
(5) The
commonwealth Department of Agriculture—formerly the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—undertook a non-regulated analysis
of existing policy for Californian table grapes imported to Western Australia.
The final report was issued on 18 July 2013 and is publicly available on
http://www.daff.gov.au/ba/reviews/final-plant/table_grapes_cal-wa.
question.
(1) I sought
to clarify with the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia—DAFWA—that
an independent expert had undertaken an assessment that the importation of
Californian table grapes did not pose an unacceptable risk. I sought
confirmation that the federal Department of Agriculture was the body
responsible for setting criteria for the importation of Californian table
grapes. Under our international trade obligations, Western Australia is not
able to apply any sanitary or phytosanitary measures that are more trade restrictive
than necessary to achieve Australia's appropriate level of protection.
(2) No National Party member of Parliament has spoken to me
to ask me to reconsider this decision.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Officers
of the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia were requested to
attend a meeting at Parliament House at 3.00 pm on 5 August 2013 to discuss the
import of table grapes from California. Hon Terry Redman attended part of the
meeting.
(5) The
commonwealth Department of Agriculture—formerly the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—undertook a non-regulated analysis
of existing policy for Californian table grapes imported to Western Australia.
The final report was issued on 18 July 2013 and is publicly available on
http://www.daff.gov.au/ba/reviews/final-plant/table_grapes_cal-wa.
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