MP Calls For Vote On BJD

May 19, 2016

Shadow Agriculture Minister Dale Last says “lack of understanding” in the State Government looks set to leave thousands of Queensland beef and dairy farms at increased risk from Bovine Johne’s Disease.

Mr Last said Agriculture Minister Leanne Donaldson looked set to accept the report from “Canberra bureaucrats” pushing for an end to Queensland’s protected zone status for BJD.

He also accused “southern interests” keen to sell into Queensland when producers re-stock at the end of the drought of being behind the push to change Queensland’s status.

Mr Last said before any decision was taken to scrap the protected zone, producers should vote on the proposal.

At the moment, Queensland cattle producers enjoy a market advantage – particularly with live exports – because of the very low prevalence of the disease in Queensland herds.

“It’s totally unfair for bureaucrats in Canberra and Brisbane to be making any decisions like this which ultimately will be paid for by producers,” Mr Last said.

“Queensland has worked hard over many years to maintain its protected zone status and now Minister Donaldson looks set to take the least line of resistance and fold to pressure from Canberra and southern vested interest groups.

“The whole process led by Animal Health Australia and a handful of southern, self-appointed industry reps has been a sham.

“There’s been no broad consultation with producers and the Minster, at the very least, needs to be honest on this point.

“The so-called national review of BJD management by Animal Health Australia has been nothing more than a Canberra desk job and I call on the Minister to show where Queensland producers have overwhelmingly called for change.”

Mr Last also questioned the timing of the move given nearly 85 per cent of Queensland remained in the grip of drought.

“Vast areas of the State have been de-stocked and the last thing on anyone’s mind is BJD,” he said.

“The real danger is once drought-breaking rains come, there’ll naturally be a rush to re-stock with a likely influx of cattle from southern areas where BJD is prevalent and disease status of cattle will rest with some form of paperwork/electronic declarations.

“Without proper testing protocols and clearance, all I can say is good luck because nothing on how this will really work has come out of the Department, let alone the Minister’s office.”

Mr Last said the Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation was rightfully very concerned, with QDO president Brian Tessmann highly critical of AHA.

“The Minister and the (Queensland) Department of Agriculture should be focussed on the 19,000 beef and dairy producers in Queensland whose properties and herds are currently BJD-free because there is absolutely no guarantee, least of all from the management at AHA, that they’ll remain so under Labor’s open slather plan.”

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