APVMA CCC E-Bulletin Issue 24 - June 2011
After each Community Consultative Committee (CCC) meeting an e-bulletin is produced by the members of the committee to let the community at large know some of the key things that were discussed at the meeting. This is the second e-bulletin for 2011. The committee met in Canberra on 2nd June 2011. Below is a summary of the main issues discussed and actions agreed at the meeting.
Queensland and Victorian Floods
At the last CCC meeting members asked the APVMA to liaise with state jurisdictional colleagues to request information on how they liaised with the community on the disposal of unmarked and unreadable containers and possible contamination of property and/or livestock from damaged containers. Information was received regarding the contamination clean up activities that had occurred in Queensland as joint efforts between government departments and ChemClear.
Members resolved to write a letter to Primary Industries Ministerial Council seeking information on what actions have taken place to amend the national response plans following the lessons learnt from the recent natural disasters with regard to this matter. This will allow relevant information to be provided and appropriate actions to be taken in a proactive and timely manner when flood or cyclone events happen or as a core component of cleanup activities.
Treated timber
The CCC identified a lack of clarity around legislative action on the matter of domestic use of treated timbers. The APVMA oversees the chemical used to treat timber but has no jurisdiction over how and where the timber is used. Members resolved to write to DAFF and jurisdictions seeking clarification over who has regulatory oversight of treated timber.
Community Questions
Members suggested the following topics for community questions on the APVMA website and will provide APVMA with appropriate questions out of session:
- Organic fruit and fruit fly treatments
- Baiting of foxes/wild dogs
Regulatory framework
Draft legislation of the new regulatory framework is expected to be released in the next few months. APVMA activities are likely to be examined from a risk management perspective.
CCC processes
Members reviewed the interaction between APVMA and the community and noted that although not all views can be presented by the CCC, the CCC does cover a broad field of views such as environmental, farming, public health, training, consumer, farm safety and rural women.
Having a diversity of views provides the CCC with an opportunity to view issues from another perspective. Members firmly believe the diversity of views helps provide the APVMA a good insight in to the views of the community as well as a sounding board for areas it is seeking community input.
Next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Canberra on 1st September 2011.