MPI: Florfenicol
[11.37 a.m.]
Ms BURNET (Clark) - Deputy Speaker, I know that other people want to speak about this really important topic. I'd like to thank the honourable member for Franklin, Mr George, for bringing this important topic to the Chamber.
Let's talk about florfenicol. The Therapeutic Residue Monitoring Program final report provides the public with some information about the persistence of antibiotics used to stem rolling mass infections in salmon farms in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. Worryingly, though, antibiotic residues were detected at one site some 12 months after application. This report doesn't reassure consumers that salmon, or indeed, wild fish from the channel remain a healthy dietary choice. Critically, the terms of reference for the Therapeutic Residue Monitoring Program did not require any assessment of whether these large-scale antibiotic applications have contributed to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or the selection of antimicrobial-resistant genes. That's key here.
I understand the limitations in the EPA's report. I know it was a body of work. I'd really like to thank the director of the EPA for yesterday's briefing on the agency's work in developing a risk management framework for florfenicol. Their findings go some way towards addressing concerns raised by the public and independent scientists. However, I also learned during that briefing that the EPA is conducting research into antibiotic-resistant bacteria arising from antibiotic use in salmon aquaculture in our public waterways. This was new information not just to me, but to many experts closely following this issue.
I therefore urge the EPA and the government to provide further detail on this research, including its scope and timeline for publication, because transparency is essential, particularly when we're talking about human health and the health of our marine environment. This is why antibiotic resistance in our marine environment matters and why it must be properly monitored. Antibiotics used in salmon agriculture enter the marine environment. This carries potential risks to marine biodiversity as well as to terrestrial animal and human health. The selection of bacteria carrying antimicrobial-resistant genes creates the possibility that these genes can transfer to humans, undermining our ability to effectively treat infections. International markets for Tasmanian seafood are becoming increasingly sensitive to the issue of anti-microbial resistance. The mass mortality events in our waters in 2025 and 2026 have already caused significant reputational damage. My heart goes out to those wild fish fishermen whose fisheries were impacted. It is reasonable to expect that political leaders and regulatory authorities would respond swiftly and appropriately. To date, that response has been inadequate.
Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to table two studies circulated earlier which demonstrate the link between antimicrobial resistance in marine environments and the presence of resistance genes in species isolates. One of these is actually cited in the paper the EPA circulated with the information. I seek leave to table these.
Leave granted, papers tabled.
Ms BURNET - I asked the Health minister what advice informed her answer to Mr Garland's question yesterday and more questions today. It's important there's public health input and public health professionals providing that input. That information is there and it is cited in the EPA papers. This is fundamentally a public health concern. The use of large quantities of florfenicol in Tasmanian waters must be fully understood in terms of its long-term consequences, not only for the marine environment but for human health as well.