Federal Minister for Agriculture Tony Burke recently revealed that a review of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service ordered by the Howard government found the organisation is failing in many areas to screen for potential problems.
So far so good. Full marks for the appropriate level of concern the new minister expressed.
But, and it's a big 'but', the Minister of Agriculture's immediate response is to order another review.
After a decade of watching how far our strict quarantine laws were watered down by John Howard's desire to alternatively assist his great and powerful friend, the big multinationals and his favourite free trade agreement, it was rather disappointing to read this initial response.
How about implementing whatever recommendations were in the report from the first review, before launching a second round assessment of the service?
I'm sure we would all feel just a bit safer if something practical was done first - foreign insect colonies and exotic diseases are not going to wait on the political niceties of a new government.
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