Xenophon decries 'mad cow' beef policy February 24, 2010
AAP
Australia risks its reputation and the health of consumers and cattle if beef imports are allowed from countries affected by mad cow disease, says Independent senator Nick Xenophon.
You won't even be able to eat a meat pie without questioning what's in it, he said.
From March 1, beef imports from countries which have experienced bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) will be allowed into Australia for the first time in a decade. Advertisement: Story continues below
But countries will have to go through an assessment process first and the government has given a 100 per cent guarantee mad cow disease won't make it into Australia.
"The government can't guarantee that," Senator Xenophon told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
"That is a stupid comment for the government to make."
Senator Xenophon and fellow non-government senators are angry about the move, saying it is unconscionable without having done a proper import risk analysis.
They have promised to move a private members bill urging the government to delay the introduction of new protocols covering beef imports.
"This is the biggest ambush of agriculture and betrayal of Australian consumers that I can remember," Liberal senator Bill Heffernan said.
Senators Xenophon, Heffernan, Fiona Nash (Nationals) and Christine Milne (Australian Greens) came armed with meat pies to a press conference at Parliament House.
Because of labelling laws, consumers could be eating pies labelled Australian, but actually were full of imported - and potentially risky - meat, they said.
