Nationals MPs, Grain Producers Australia urge common sense on Paraquat and Diquat ruling
Tuesday 5 November 2024
The Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster MP moved a motion in Parliament yesterday urging the independent regulator to apply the science on herbicide dosages and not reward sensationalism broadcast on the ABC.
Dr Webster and her Nationals colleagues from New South Wales, Member for Riverina Michael McCormack and Member for Parkes Mark Coulton addressed the misinformation in the ABC Landline story aired in August-September concerning use of paraquat and diquat, and alleged links to neurological diseases.
“Paragraph 2 of this motion takes issue with the sensationalism of the ABC portrayed on Landline, a program that farmers have trusted for generations,” Dr Webster told the Federation Chamber on Monday morning.
“Their suggestion is that historical practices are still occurring today. Children are not being exposed to herbicides in the way the ABC's recent Landline program suggested, and farmers now apply herbicides in protected environments that are safe, with virtually no exposure to the chemicals.
“The fact that the APVMA took the rare step of responding to Landline's misrepresentations of the reality of this topic demonstrates the severity of that misinformation spread by the public broadcaster. I commend the APVMA for correcting the record.
Grain Producers Australia said it trusted the APVMA to review the science without external pressures. GPA said the 150 submissions made to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) sent a clear message to the Federal Government that time pressures should also play no role on regulatory processes. The peak grain-growing body highlighted that the original February 2025 decision deadline has now been extended to mid-2025, after the Federal Election.
Dr Webster commended GPA and Mr Weidemann, a Mallee constituent, and another constituent Ron Hards from Werrimull, telling Parliament:
“The current usage rate of paraquat is around 1,200 to 1,800 millilitres to the hectare. But, as my constituent Ron Hards from Werrimull told me, if the rate is reduced to, say, 400 millilitres to the hectare: 'You may as well pee in the corner of the paddock. It does nothing.' Worse still, as Ron points out, at low dosages, policymakers will effectively be promoting weed resistance to herbicides.”
Dr Webster warned a month ago that dust storms that blanketed Mildura such as in 2019 would become more commonplace if paraquat and diquat dosages are rendered meaningless, with farmers forced to abandon no-till farming and return to heavy tillage practices to control weeds.
