Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 1:01:00 to 1:05:01
The committee discusses workplace safety concerns regarding phosphine exposure limits and their impact on grain exports. Officials clarify the status of state-level implementation delays and ministerial correspondence on the matter.
Topics: Workplace relations, Exports, Agricultural research and levies
Speakers: Hon Matthew Canavan, Victoria Anderson, Speaker 5, Speaker 1, Unknown Speaker, Senator Ross Cadell
is uh Senator Scarr or Senator Kaman.
>> Who wants to score?
>> Yep. Okay, I'll go. Um, look, I just had some questions about phosphine. Um my understanding is that uh uh from uh the 1st of December uh workplace exposure limits for phosphine will uh reduce um and this has potential implications because it's the main fumigant used to protect stored grain. There's someone am I just making sure you know what I'm talking about.
>> I do know what you're talking about. All >> right. Just to be clear, that is handled in our department in outcome one, but I can
>> Oh, so we've got the wrong outcome here.
>> Uh, yeah. Well, it's mostly um being raised by uh our export establishments. Um, so I'm happy to I can try. If not, I
can take it on those. >> So, no problems. Yep. That's always a problem when we miss the outcome, but that's okay. Um, so there are concerns from growers that this will potentially make it longer to take longer to fumigate grain. Are you aware of those concerns and has those concerns been relayed to the minister?
>> Uh, yes, Senator, we are aware of those concerns about the Safe Work Australia limits.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Do you do you feel there's risks for export for certification for our grains given these changes?
>> I I think Senator um some of the larger jurisdictions have decided um not to apply these locally. For example, Western Australia, I think it was raised with me by CBH when I was there recently and shortly after the state government indicated. I can't remember if it was a delay or a uh I think it was a delay to the imposition because they wanted further work done. So, it is up to state and territory jurisdictions and I think at least one other jurisdiction has uh
uh Victoria I think has proposed Victoria proposing to defer it but they have deferred it have they?
>> Yeah. So, so West Australia and Victoria have proposed delaying until 1 December 2029 >> and South Australia's extended commencement to July 2028.
>> Okay.
>> As far as I know.
>> Um, has this been discussed at meetings of agricultural ministers?
>> Uh, no, not that I'm aware of, Senator. Although I think these limits like I may not have been involved um if it happened before December when I commenced. Um it certainly was raised with me by the grains industry directly and and um I think the safe work process um that consultation process um had had already run its course by then. So people are sort of running a bit of a rear guard action.
>> The uh our shadow minister uh Darren Chester uh has written to the minister. he wrote to her on the 9th of September asking for it to be uh placed on the um minister's meeting uh state and uh federal government minister's meeting uh that was more than a week before the last meeting I believe in the 18th September but it wasn't discussed at that meeting
>> uh a minister's meeting I'm not aware it was discussed from memory um but there are other com state forums where these sorts of issues are discussed so I'm happy to take it on notice to see it was discussed in any other com state forum
>> Um uh uh to my knowledge that letter uh on the 9th of September remains unanswered. Is there has there been a response drafted in the department provide? I
>> have to check Senator. Sorry.
>> Okay. If you could take that on notice. uh given that some of the states are delaying implementation of this, what does that mean though for export requirements? Is it is that set nationally? So for >> irrigation done at export facilities, would that need to maintain these lower limits?
>> I think I'm probably getting to a point where I'm not going to be very helpful. I think we Yeah, it is subject to implementation by both the Commonwealth and the states. Mr.
>> May, just not about help. >> On the letter as well, I've been advised that that's been referred to minister Rishworth as the lead minister on this issue. So, okay. >> Um, it is considered part of dual >> uh and safe work Australia.