2023-07-14
The Greens have responded to a scathing independent review of the embattled government agency responsible for the regulation of agricultural and veterinary chemicals, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
Quotes attributable to Greens spokesperson for agriculture, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:
“The Greens and other stakeholders have been raising concerns about the APVMA not being fit for purpose for years and welcome the Albanese Government’s recent and ongoing reviews of this embattled government agency.
“What’s clear from this scathing independent review is that the APVMA needs to change.
“A major concern for The Greens is regulatory capture, and that the APVMA is primarily funded by the chemical companies it regulates.
“This raises serious questions of the APVMA’s independence and culture, and whether it can do important work such as the timely review of registered chemicals when it's essentially dependent on the industry for its resourcing.
“The Greens have raised concerns in parliament about the prioritisation of new chemical registrations over reviews, monitoring, compliance and enforcement of existing products.
“The Albanese Government must now take a different approach to the regulation of Australia’s agricultural chemicals, and now this critical review has been finalised The Greens will be scrutinising the inevitable changes that should lie ahead."