Michaelia Cash urges government to launch independent review into repeal of US beef ban as Albanese and Farrell remain at odds

Sky News AU

15 hours ago

Shadow foreign affairs minister Michaelia Cash has called for an immediate review into the Albanese government's decision to lift the long-standing ban on US beef imports after Trade Minister Don Farrell's "extraordinary" Sky News interview.
It was revealed on Thursday Australian officials had notified their US counterparts that restrictions on the importation of US beef would be lifted following a ten-year scientific review of the biosecurity risks.
The Albanese government was urged by the Coalition to explain its sudden backflip after the Prime Minister previously insisted Labor would not 'compromise' on biosecurity.
In a major development to the ongoing saga, Mr Farrell revealed on Sky News' Sunday Agenda that Donald Trump had raised the issue with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following claims the decision was made to appease the President.
Ms Cash said Mr Farrell's responses showed there were "even more questions to answer".
'We now urgently need an independent review into this decision, it is very clear now we did not know about this phone call that Minister Farrell has referred to," Ms Cash told Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
Mr Farrell was later caught out after Mr Albanese told ABC Insiders the US President had not directly raised the matter of Australian biosecurity rules on US beef during their phone conversations.
"Did Donald Trump raise this with you directly?' Mr Albanese was asked by host David Speers, to which he responded, 'no.'
'Donald Trump did raise it at the so-called Liberation Day, of course, he raised it publicly,' Mr Albanese said.
Ms Cash said the fresh revelations reinforced the need to investigate whether the Labor government had 'traded away our strict biosecurity standards' to secure a meeting between the Prime Minister and the US President which has still not occurred.
'The question all Australians need answered from Minister Farrell when he was telling us that 'everything is going to be ok' is why hasn't the Albanese government released the strict protocols, because the protocols need to be released so that the Australian public can satisfy themselves," Ms Cash said.
Meanwhile, Mr Farrell swatted away assertions the move was made to satisfy the US administration while also stating he had no hand in the call and that rather the decision was made by Department of Agriculture and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins.
Ms Cash said she was 'astounded' by Mr Farrell's interview and that it was "incredibly important that we get the department in front of us very, very quickly".
'It became quite confusing; who made this decision, who was involved in the decision, was it the Agriculture Minister, the Trade Minister, the Prime Minister, who we now know held a phone call with President Trump, which Mr Albanese has since denied," she said.
'It is now incredibly urgent that if a Senate inquiry was put forward Labor should agree to that, and we bring the department and relevant ministers in front of us as quickly as possible.'
Senator Cash also rejected Mr Farrell's claims that Nationals Leader David Littleproud was politicising the issue, and that he was raising concerns in relation to the lifting of the ban due to leadership tensions with Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce.
'I completely disagree and the responses you just got show that even Minister Farrell doesn't know what has happened in relation to this announcement, David Littleproud is right to pose these questions,' Ms Cash said.
Responding to the reports on Thursday, Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie said the decision could pose a risk to Australia's beef industry while Mr Littleproud said he was 'gobsmacked' by the move.