Tuesday, 5 April 2022

Agriculture Legislation Amendment Bill 2022

Introduction and first reading

Ms ALLAN (Bendigo East—Leader of the House, Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop) (12:08): On behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, I move:

That I introduce a bill for an act to amend the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) Act 1992, the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, the Dairy Act 2000, the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981, the Farm Debt Mediation Act 2011, the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994, the Plant Biosecurity Act 2010, the Rural Assistance Schemes Act 2016, the Veterinary Practice Act 1997, the Wildlife Act 1975 and the Meat Industry Act 1993 and for other purposes.

Motion agreed to.

Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) (12:09): Could I ask the minister for a brief explanation of each of the pieces of legislation that are going to be changed, please?

Ms ALLAN (Bendigo East—Leader of the House, Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop) (12:09): Certainly. I am very happy to. As the member for Murray Plains well knows as a former agriculture minister for a brief period of time in this place, from time to time agriculture ministers bring forward to the chamber a bill that covers a range of different acts—

Mr Walsh: On the bill, please.

Ms ALLAN: I am getting to it. He wanted a detailed explanation; I am only trying to please the member for Murray Plains.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! We need a brief explanation—brief.

Ms ALLAN: You cannot win, Speaker. You try and please the National Party, you try and meet what they want—goodness me, all they do is complain, complain. I know what the Liberal Party must feel like. This is what the Liberal Party must feel like. Anyway, Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the minister for an explanation.

Ms ALLAN: As from time to time ministers for agriculture will bring into this place one bill, one piece of legislation, that covers amendments to a range of other bills that intersect with the delivery of agricultural services in this state, I will resist the opportunity from the member to go through each of these acts that intersect with the bill I have just introduced to the place, because they do go to a range of different matters that have been identified by our terrific, hardworking agriculture minister, who is out and about talking to the local primary producing sector and has come back with a bill that addresses a range of matters and priorities for the ag sector. I well remember as a shadow minister during that period of time having the opportunity to be briefed by the minister’s office—

Ms Staley: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the minister was asked for a brief explanation of the bill, and she is neither being brief nor explaining.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has been brief enough.

Read first time.

Ordered to be read second time tomorrow.