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BSE = Burke’s Serious Error

26-February-2010

Written by: John Cobb, MP

Over the last week my office in Orange has received dozens of phone calls, emails and visits from residents of the region all with one big concern. The phone and email traffic has been similar in my office in Canberra, again with the same big concern. The issue of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, known otherwise as BSE or Mad Cow Disease, isn’t new and it isn’t overly complex, but it is a major threat to our region, our beef industry and billions of dollars worth of exports. The Labor government’s baffling decision to lift the ban on importing beef from countries that have been affected by a BSE outbreak represents one of the most amazing agricultural oversights since the introduction of the Cane Toad. For Tony Burke to physically sign off on this allowance leaves the blood well and truly on his, and the Labor party’s hands.

There are several reasons this decision is simply wrong. In last weeks Federal Rounds I spoke about the benefits of the NLIS in the Australian cattle industry. This decision sells the NLIS short. If cattle producers in Oberon, Parkes, Forbes, Cabonne and Blayney have to comply with these strict standards, surely we should expect the same from our trading partners. Not only is the minister opening up the market to more competition, but giving foreign beef producers an advantage. The Labor party is lowering the bar, opening the doors and threatening our clean, green disease free status.

Another thing that presumably hasn’t been considered by Tony Burke is the message this decision this sends to the biggest import markets in the world. By Australia accepting beef from BSE affected countries we are providing a huge endorsement for some of our biggest trade rivals in foreign markets. Everyone in the world wants to sell to Japan and Korea, at the moment Australia has a foot in the door and beef on the ground. This decision threatens our hold on those markets.

The other major threat is probably the most obvious. Any outbreak of BSE would cripple the Australian Beef industry and go a long way to crippling Australia’s Food Security. Food Security is the cornerstone of any modern society and this decision threatens that cornerstone. The impact of the BSE outbreak in North America was widespread and is still being felt. Communities were decimated, livelihoods were eliminated and an industry was brought to its knees. We have avoided this through careful planning and safety procedures that, whilst not always popular, work. This decision threatens the hard work done by previous governments and by producers throughout Calare and throughout Australia.

The Coalition is all out to force the government to rectify their error. We have instigated a Senate inquiry and as Shadow Minister of Agriculture and Food Security I personally introduced this issue as a matter of public importance into the parliament on Thursday.

As Shadow Minister for Agriculture it makes me angry, as Shadow Minister for Food Security it makes me angry, as a Representative for all the beef producers in our region it makes me angry and as a beef producer myself I know it’s just not good enough.