Debates Day 2 - Wednesday 23 November 1994
Parliamentary Record 6
Debates for 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997
1994-11-23
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Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES - Wednesday 23 November 1994 Motion agreed to; bill read a second time. Mr HATTON (Lands, Housing and Local Government)(by leave): Mr Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time. Motion agreed to; bill read a third time. PLANT DISEASES CONTROL AM ENDM ENT BILL (Serial 42) Continued from 13 October 1994 M r LANHUPUY (Arnhem): Mr Speaker, the opposition supports this bill which defines accredited production areas, tightens quarantine powers and increases the power o f the chief inspector and amends some definitions. As the minister said in his second-reading speech, under section 11 A, the minister will be able to declare an accredited production area. This declaration will indicate that an area is free o f specified disease or pests and that that fact can be used for advertising purposes. If a packer or a seller uses words implying that their produce came from such an area when it did not, the penalty on conviction can be. up to $20 000 or 12 months imprisonment. That is covered in proposed new section 11A(2). The minister may specify also a mechanism for disposal o f an infected plant. Failure to dispose o f an affected plant except in accordance with such a notice can attract a fine of $20 000 or 12 months imprisonment. Inspectors can direct the person in possession o f the fruit or plant material to dispose o f it. Currently, this applies only to the owner and is covered by the current section 11. The cost o f carrying out the inspectors functions can now become a debt against the owner o f the plant or fruit which was the subject o f the inspectors actions. This is in proposed new section 14(6). The chief inspector now appoints other inspectors rather than the minister making those appointments. The opposition supports the bill. Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH (Nelson): Mr Speaker, I rise to support this legislation as would any right-minded person who has at heart the interests o f the development o f primary production in the Northern Territory. I believe it could be said that this bill is the only good thing to come from the outbreak o f citrus canker at Lambells Lagoon some time ago. It was a most unfortunate happening when, out o f the blue, on an unplanned visit to a particular orchard, citrus canker was found. That necessitated destruction of all the citrus trees in that orchard, rigid inspection o f other citrus orchards, the destruction o f trees in nearby orchards and quarantining o f quite a large area around Lambells Lagoon and elsewhere. Legislation o f this kind is most important if we are to have an active horticultural industry in the Northern Territory. It is quite relevant to speak o f this today in light o f the wonderful display o f agricultural, horticultural and pastoral produce that is on display until tomorrow in the main hall o f Parliament House. I will digress at this point and compliment the minister and his departmental officers on the work they have done with growers in the Territory which has produced these wonderful results. Even 10 years ago, if you even contemplate preparing a display such as this, you would have been accused of living in the 1846