I would be obliged if the Minister could clarify the position in relation to paragraph (b) which refers to any animal bred or kept for the production of food, wool, skin, fur or feathers or for use in, or for the purposes of, the farming of land or of animal husbandry. I am curious to know what kind of feathered animals the paragraph is referring to.
Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes, Bill 1984: Committee and Final Stages.
Section 1 agreed to.
SECTION 2.
Question proposed: "That section 2 stand part of the Bill."
I am not aware of any other feathered animals.
I was curious to know.
Actually, it is to do with international descriptions. They are described as such in the convention. That is the wording of the convention.
I see.
Question put and agreed to.
SECTION 3.
Question proposed: "That section 3 stand part of the Bill".
I wonder about the provisions with respect to the dimensions and layout of housing; it really deals with the layout of housing for animals. Will the Department be considering this section when they are allocating grants under the farm modernisation scheme for the erection of this kind of layouts?
Yes. In actual fact, that consideration, as the Senator is probably aware, always has been involved.
What I am considering is will the situation continue as it was?
Yes.
Question put and agreed to.
Sections 4 to 6, inclusive, agreed to.
SECTION 7.
Question proposed: "That section 7 stand part of the Bill."
This is a section that I find very hard to understand. How are they going to keep those records or will there be any serious effort made to keep those records?
Again, in reply to Senator Hussey, remember we are basically talking about highly intensive poultry and pig units. As a matter of fact for practical purposes we are talking about some of the very high intensive poultry units and that sort of recording is done as a matter of course by employers. Employees do these inspections. All it would mean is a simple chart system whereby they tick off that they have inspected the various units and that everything is in order. The only other proviso that perhaps has not operated is that they would have to indicate on their records when they had a breakdown and what they did about it.
Question put and agreed to.
SECTION 8.
Question proposed: "That section 8 stand part of the Bill."
This concerns powers of entry. Here again I am sure that any departmental inspector is not going to overstep his powers in relation to this section. I was just wondering will there be any advance notice given to people in regard to the time or the date on which an inspection will be carried out, or will this be just the visit by a departmental inspector, unannounced, to inspect the premises?
Again, I am informed that it will normally be a spot check. It could well be unannounced especially if there were reports that everything was not right. Obviously you could not very well brief these people in advance. You would have to have it on an unannounced basis. One point that I would like to make is that any type of checking will be very rare. It will not cause any harassment.
Is there any checking done already under the present scheme? We have a number of intensive units all over the country for cattle, pigs and poultry. I wonder is there any inspection being carried out of those premises at present under our own national laws?
Yes, under national law. Under the Transit of Animals Act, because of regular movement of poultry, we have regular inspections to ensure that the poultry are fit to travel.
And this is carried out by Department of Agriculture officials?
Yes.
Question put and agreed to.
Sections 9 to 12, inclusive, agreed to.
SECTION 13.
Question proposed: "That section 13 stand part of the Bill."
What would be the expenses involved? Those inspectors would be paid by the Department anyway, I presume. Would there be any additional appointments made to carry out the duties?
No, we do not envisage any additional appointments.
Question put and agreed to.
Section 14 agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment, received for final consideration and passed.