Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter became the first to introduce legislation into Parliament today over imported food labelling since the Hepatitis A outbreak which started over two weeks ago and the recent health scare at a Sydney café from imported tuna.

The Imported Food Warning Labels Bill 2015 seeks that all imported food products carry the label:

“Warning: Imported food. This food has not been grown or processed under Australian health and hygiene standards and may be injurious to your health.”

An identical Bill was introduced by Mr Katter and seconded by the Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie with the assistance of Snow White in 2013 , but was ignored by the two major parties.

Standing with Snow White and her poisoned apples at Parliament House today, Mr Katter and Mr Wilkie warned of the need for stricter labelling over imported foods. Imported products currently do not have to adhere to the same strict standards as Australian producers resulting in a grossly unfair playing field for local producers and risking public health.

“The recent cases that have brought this once again to the fore are just as we predicted, there are people that will get sick in Australia because of the products coming in from overseas,” Mr Katter said.

“We have Snow White here again today – just as we did two years ago – with poisoned apples. Apples from overseas are sprayed with streptomycin due to the diseases that other countries have that we don’t have in Australia. But streptomycin is not good for your health.

“We have the most strict and stringent hygiene requirements in the world and for that we can be proud. But most of our fruit and vegetables now are coming from overseas. In many cases there are virtually no hygiene requirements at all and almost certainly no environmental requirements.

“Our Bill will contain a warning – as if the Government is not prepared to do their duty and apply the same standards to imports that they impose upon Australian products – then we want at least the consumers to have the right to choose.

“This Bill is all about the right to choose”.

Mr Katter cited examples of flowers and beef as being one set of rules for Australian producers and another for producers coming in from overseas, which significantly pushes up the cost of Australian produce.

“Is it any wonder that 6 years ago we were big exporters of prawn and fish, we were big exporters of fruit and vegetables, we are now big importers of both, because under those costs structures our industries have collapsed.

“Just how unfair are the two major parties,” Mr Katter said.