Some of imported pork products that were incorrectly dumped by a waste management company. Image – DAFF.

INCORRECT dumping of imported pork products by an Australian waste management company was a “border blunder under Labor’s watch”, according to Nationals leader David Littleproud.

The Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry last week said an Australian-wide waste management business would not be fined despite incorrectly dumping imported pork products – about 300kgs – by burying the meat at a non-approved waste disposal facility, although DAFF said the nature of the burial “mitigated biosecurity risk”.

Mr David Littleproud said he is calling on Labor to explain an illegal dumping of pork products.

He said Labor must be transparent with Australian people and provide reasons why the company involved wasn’t fined. Under biosecurity policy guidelines, this is a critical or major non-compliance issue, the Nationals said.

DAFF has admitted the company has not received any civil or criminal penalty, but has been instructed to meet several undertakings over the next 24 months, including re-training staff and engaging an independent auditor.

“I have written to Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, seeking assurance that the incident has been handled in line with the biosecurity risk it posed,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Obviously, this incident is of great concern.

“Australians need an assurance this breach has not posed a risk to Australian agriculture or the environment and this serious non-compliance behaviour has been managed appropriately, particularly since the company involved was not fined,” he said.

Mr Littleproud said the pork predicament was another border blunder under Labor’s watch.

“When it comes to protecting our borders, Labor keeps dropping the ball.

“Following embarrassing failures on foot and mouth disease, where Labor was slow to act, and confusion surrounding biosecurity on rabies, I am concerned that this may be just another unfortunate case of Labor’s incompetence on protecting our biosecurity.”

Monitoring procedures increased for waste management company – DAFF

A Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry spokesperson said confiscated meat items collected at Australia’s ports are treated as biosecurity waste.

The spokesperson said all solid waste material associated with imported pig meat must be treated as biosecurity waste and disposed of by one of the following methods:

high temperature incineration, or

deep burial, or

autoclaving (121°C core temperature for 15 minutes) prior to disposal as general waste (landfill), or heat treatment on-site to a minimum core temperature of 100°C for 30 minutes prior to disposal as general waste (landfill), or

other method approved in writing by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The spokesperson said there are a variety of Approved Arrangements permitted to handle meat products for the purposes of treatment, storage, and waste disposal.

“At 27 March 2023, there were 78 approved arrangements authorised to handle imported uncooked pig meat from certain approved countries.

“Import conditions include a variety of measures to ensure biosecurity risks are appropriately managed, prior to release from biosecurity control,” the spokesperson said.

The department’s compliance policy for approved arrangements is detailed in the Approved arrangements general policy available on the department’s website: Approved arrangements general policies – DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)

When asked if monitoring procedures been updated for all AA companies as a result of the recent case of incorrect product dumping, the spokesperson said: “Monitoring procedures for the entity found to be non-compliant have been increased through the Enforceable Undertaking.”