Cuts to the biosecurity budget will undermine Tasmania’s brand and threaten the State’s pest and disease free status.
“In opposition, Jeremy Rockliff, was unequivocal that there needed to be more money for biosecurity and quarantine services but now he’s cutting the budget,” Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Mr Llewellyn said.
“At a time when we need to be more vigilant than ever against threats to our biosecurity Mr Rockliff has turned his back on the primary industries sector.
“Instead of providing more money Mr Rockliff is making significant cuts to the biosecurity budget.
“Attempts by Mr Rockliff to fudge the figures in Estimates today can’t disguise the fact that the funding appropriation for biosecurity in the budget clearly shows a cut of more than $1 million over the forward estimates.
Mr Llewellyn called on Mr Rockliff to detail what cuts he is planning to quarantine services.
“Mr Rockliff’s response that quarantine officers will become multi skilled is simply code for them having to do more with less support.
“Mr Rockliff should know better than anyone that protecting our primary industries from pests and diseases is just as important as efforts to grow the sector.
“It is Tasmania’s relative freedom from a range of pest and diseases that provides access to markets such as Asia and now the Government is risking these markets.
David Llewellyn MP Shadow Minister for Primary Industries
