GOVERNMENT guarantees of rigorous import assessments for all beef, which will soon be allowed into Australia from countries which have had bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), will go under the microscope at a second Senate inquiry into the controversial decision this week.

 

A Senate Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs will scrutinise the protocols for examining beef imports from countries which have had BSE, or mad cow disease, despite the Government's insistence that the risk of the decision to public health is "40 million times less than motor vehicle accidents".

Liberal Senator and quarantine critic, Bill Heffernan, said the next hearing will call for precise details on the assessment protocols for all beef destined for export for Australia from the countries in question.

It's his belief that there are no such protocols.

Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, said the Australian Government would ensure "the rigorous assurance process" so diseased source does not come into Australia.

He said the Government would insist that inspections were done "according to our standards" and not those dictated by other countries.

"…part of the reason for this change is the science has moved on significantly from the 80s and 90s … the expert that reviewed this has said that it is negligible risk because the science has moved on and the risk (to public health) is something like 40 million times less than risk from motorcar accidents," Mr Crean said.

In the first BSE imports Senate hearing, just prior to Christmas, industry representatives confirmed there was no detail yet on import protocols and those would not be developed until after the new import rules were operational, from March 1.

It was also acknowledged that the Government will have the final say on the protocols, despite the industry insisting full involvement in drawing up the new agreement.

Red Meat Advisory Council secretary, Justin Toohey, said while the beef industry peak bodies had given acceptance to the science behind the decision to allow the beef imports, the Government must prove those imports meet strict requirements.

"We are not saying … from March 1 let’s get flooded with imported beef," Mr Toohey told the December inquiry.

"We are saying that, from March 1, the policy changes — we acknowledge that, based on science — therefore we are internationally recognised as consistent.

"The government has to satisfy itself and we believe has to satisfy us that any tick of approval to trade has met very stringent guidelines."

Senator Heffernan said he accepted the science behind the decision also, but feared "human failure" would let Australia and its beef industry down.

Senator Heffernan said to have confidence in the beef industry leaders negotiating with the government, he wanted to see the details of the protocols devised between the industry and the government brought back to the committee before the new rules were implemented.

Mr Toohey said the beef industry's position was that if the government "is not satisfied that every single animal that is going to have beef from it sent here cannot be traced, then it is not to be brought in here".

(Source:  FarmOnline National News Bureau, Parliament House, http://www.farmonline.com.au)