Senator Ludwig: The answer to the senator's questions are as follows: (1) Six neonicotinoid active ingredients are approved for use in Australia and of these, five are included in products registered for use on crops. The following table shows which crops each active is registered for use on. Active ingredient Crops registered for use on Acetamiprid Cotton, potatoes, flowers and ornamental plants, shrubs and trees Clothianidin Bananas, cotton, grapes, pome fruit, stone fruit, sugarcane, turf and lawn Imidacloprid Vegetables (including tomatoes, capsicum, zucchini, melons and other cucurbits, eggplant, potatoes), fruit (including peach, plum, nectarine, apricot), faba beans, field peas, lentils, lupins, fescue seed crops, canola, cereals, cotton, pasture (red clover, subterranean clover, strawberry clover, white clover, ryegrass, phalaris) and forage crops, and seed treatment (maize, sweet corn, lupin, sorghum, cereal, lucerne, medic, sunflower, cotton and pasture seed) Nitenpyram No crop uses Thiacloprid Cotton, pome fruit (including apples), maybush, roses, stone fruit, tea Thiamethoxam Citrus, tomatoes, brassicas (including broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, brassica leafy vegetables), fruiting vegetables (excluding cucurbits, but including tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant), leafy vegetables (including lettuce, endive, silverbeet, spinach), turf and lawn, indoor plants, ornamentals, roses, shrubs, seed treatment (cotton, cereals, cotton, maize, sorghum, sunflower, sweet corn) (2) No, the EFSA assessment of imidacloprid, released on 16 January 2013, concluded that there were some risks but that others could not be assessed on the basis of the available information, and identified the data gaps that would need to be filled before regulatory action is considered. (3) The APVMA is responsible for reviewing agvet chemicals. It monitors international developments in relation to imidacloprid, including any reports from EFSA. (4) The department is aware of studies on neonicotinoids and bees, and the APVMA has reviewed them in conjunction with the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. (5) The department has obtained and the APVMA has reviewed studies by the companies producing neonicotinoid chemicals as part of the normal registration process. Summaries of such information are available in Public Release Summaries published on the APVMA website at: www.apvma.gov.au/registration/assessment/ public/index.php. In addition, anyone can request a technical assessment report for any product that the APVMA registers. If any new studies are received after registration, brief summaries are published in advice summaries, available at www.apvma.gov.au/registration/assessment/advice/index.php. (6) There are no provisions in the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Regulations 1995 specifically in regard to neonicotinoid pesticides. The current risk-based approach to assessing the hazard and exposure of non-target organisms to pesticides when used according to the mandatory label statements is appropriate and is consistent with world's best practice. If a risk is identified after registration of a chemical product, the APVMA may review label instructions and conduct additional assessments of new studies as part of its review program. In addition, the government has introduced legislation that will require re-approval and re–registration of all agvet chemicals. Re-registration requires the APVMA to regularly look at chemicals available in the market and see if there are concerns about the chemical that need to be addressed with a formal review. (7) The department is aware of the registered alternatives to neonicotinoids, which are all safe when used according to the mandatory label directions. Researching alternatives is an industry responsibility. In 2012-13, the department provided $235.9 million in matching payments to support rural research and development.