22 May 2009
DAFF09/257B

It’s been nearly two weeks since the Budget papers were released, but National Party members still haven’t bothered to read them, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said today.

Mr Burke said the Portfolio Budget Statement for 2009-10 (page 69) outlined an expected drop of 125 positions in average staffing levels for Outcome 2, which includes the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and some Departmental staff.

However, on the same page, it also states the following:

“Note 2: The change in average staffing levels from 2008–09 to 2009–10 will be managed by efficiencies in support functions without impacts on frontline operations.”

Mr Burke urged John Cobb and his National Party colleagues to make the time this weekend to finally read the Budget papers, before Parliament resumes next week.

“It is absurd to think that Mr Cobb still hasn’t read the Budget papers,” Mr Burke said.

“It’s not surprising that he spent the last two weeks trying to find negative comments about rural and regional Australia, but it is surprising that he hasn’t read the Budget papers first.”

Mr Burke also reiterated his comments from Budget week that the process of responding to the recommendations from the Beale review of Australia’s biosecurity was on-going.

Some of the changes require new legislation to replace the century-old Quarantine Act 1908, which is expected to be considered by Parliament later in the year.