Barnaby Joyce demands evidence on US beef biosecurity claims
Nationals backbencher Barnaby Joyce has demanded to hear from the nation’s Chief Veterinary Officer, after Labor insisted the lifting of the ban on US beef was “based on science”.
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Nationals backbencher Barnaby Joyce has demanded to hear from the nation’s Chief Veterinary Officer about the biosecurity clearance to import more US beef, amid government claims biosecurity had not been compromised and nothing to do with US tariff negotiations.
“The Trade Minister’s not the Chief Veterinary Officer,” Mr Joyce told Sky News.
“Let’s get the Chief Veterinary Officer out to say that.
“I want to hear from the person, I want to see their face and see if they grimace when they give the advice that this is the proper process.”
His comments came after Agriculture Minister Julie Collins reiterated the Australian government has not relaxed biosecurity rules and that the US beef import decision was not motivated by the threat of US tariffs.
“This is a decision based on science,” she told reporters.
Mr Joyce also took a shot at Coalition frontbencher Dan Tehan who compared Mr Joyce and fellow Nationals backbencher Michael McCormack – and their joint net zero opposition – to two “steers”.
“I grew up on a farm and when two steers are fighting in the neighbour’s paddock, let them fight, you let the owner know and they’ll sort all that out,” Mr Tehan told Sky News on Wednesday.
“People say they’re from the country … get it right!” Mr Joyce said on Thursday.
“Steers don’t fight, we castrate them so they don’t, right? Steers have their testicles removed, and they sit happily in the paddock and eat grass, getting as fat as possible, so I can jam them on a truck and get paid money.
“Bulls, woo!” Mr Joyce said, putting his fingers up to his head like bull’s horns.
“Bulls fight, right? And you know, you try and stay away from the bulls, and we’re not in a neighbour’s paddock, we’re actually in our own paddock.”
It came after Australia lifted the ban on American beef imports amid hopes the move could see Anthony Albanese gain traction in tariff negotiations with Donald Trump.
Sources told the Australian Financial Review the decision was communicated to the US government last night.
The government source added the move came following “scientific advice following a review of the restrictions initiated more than 18 months ago.”
Mr Albanese has yet to comment on the report but Labor minister Amanda Rishworth told The Australian the decision to remove biosecurity measures has nothing to do with tariffs.
“We will not ever compromise on biosecurity,” Ms Rishworth said.
“So what’s happened here is that over the last 10 years there’s been a review underway. And what the department has now been assured of and feels confident about, is that there are the right safeguards put in place.
“There’s been significant scientific, risk-based assessment here.
“The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestries are satisfied that there is no threat to biosecurity.”
Australia’s biosecurity restrictions were a sticking point for US President Donald Trump who brought them up multiple times when discussing our trade relationship and his decision to impose tariffs.
“Australia bans – and they’re wonderful people and wonderful everything – but they banned American beef,” Mr Trump said.
“We imported $3bn of Australian beef from them just last year alone. They won’t take any of our beef.
“They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers. And you know what? I don’t blame them, but we’re doing the same thing right now.”
Australia is subject to a 10 per cent blanket import tax with the US in addition to 50 per cent steel and aluminium tariffs.
While a total ban on American beef was lifted in 2019, restrictions remain so in effect no beef has actually been imported since that time.
In response to the lifting of restrictions, the Australian Meat Industry Council clarified the status of imported beef.
“There is no ban on US beef to Australia,” they said adding restrictions were placed on America in 2003 with the total ban relaxed in 2019.
American beef has been permitted after that time, however the onus was on the Americans to prove the cattle were born, raised and slaughtered in the US.
“The US, however, chose to not progress with this pathway, and instead has asked for access to Australia for beef made in the US from cattle also born and raised in Mexico or Canada,” the Australian Meat Industry Council said.
Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie told Channel 9 she was “very concerned” Aussie beef exports had been “sacrificed.”
“We need a biosecurity arrangement that’s based on science,” Senator McKenzie said.
“We do not know the details of what the government’s agreed to. We’re waiting on a briefing for that.
“We would be concerned around, particularly the protocols on the slaughtering of beef out of Canada and Mexico, because we do not want to bring those diseases into our country and our farmers and our industry shouldn’t be sacrificed because the PM can’t get his act together on this relationship.
“National Party (are) representatives of rural and regional Australia … will be very concerned if our $11bn beef export industry is sacrificed to actually make up for the deficiencies in the Anthony Albanese-United States diplomatic relationship.”
The beef restriction news comes after Mr Albanese confirmed the government had sent another $800 million instalment to the US as part of the AUKUS submarine deal.
President Trump has the agreement, which involves providing Australia with nuclear submarines, placed under review.
Defence minister Richard Marles’ office confirmed in a statement the second $800 million payment was made earlier this year with a third scheduled towards the end of 2025 “in line with Australia’s commitment to contribute US$2bn by the end of 2025.”
“When the AUKUS pathway was announced in March 2023, Australia was clear that we would make a proportionate contribution to the United States industrial base,” the statement reads.
“Australia’s contribution is about accelerating US production rates and maintenance to enable the delivery of Australia’s future Virginia class submarines.”
Mr Albanese told ABC it was all part of “a schedule of payments to be made.”
“We have an agreement with the United States as well as with the United Kingdom,” Mr Albanese said.
“It is about increasing the capacity, their industrial capacity, and as part of that, we have Australians on the ground, learning the skills so that when it comes to the SSN-AUKUS, the submarines being built here in Australia, we have those skills.”
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