Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Of particular concern to Australia's agriculture, particularly for potato growers, is a zebra chip disease caused by the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter. The disease first appeared in Central America in the early 1990s before spreading to Texas in 1999. It has been reported in all states west of the Mississippi River except Utah. According to Biosecurity Australia, it was first detected in New Zealand in 2006. The problem in New Zealand is so severe for the production of French fries in the North Island that the industry is described as being on a knife's edge.

The coalition are highly concerned about the catastrophic damage—and I am not exaggerating—to the Australian potato industry that the proposed import of fresh New Zealand potatoes poses. We have heard this before in the case of apples and now it is the case with potatoes. It is particularly concerning, as Biosecurity Australia is understood to have conceded that infected potatoes will inevitably be imported into Australia if New Zealand is given import rights, but it does believe there are adequate means through quarantine facilities to control the risk and any potatoes found to have the disease would be destroyed, as they should be, either by incineration or deep burial under strict quarantine controls. Fresh, whole potatoes from New Zealand will not be available for retail sale and will be provided only for further processing into hot chips. However, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry believe there will still be about 30 per cent waste from the imported potatoes. We believe the importation of potatoes from countries that have the disease is premature and before importation is considered we need proper science to give us a much better understanding of the issue and the biosecurity systems which can manage and eradicate outbreaks.

In my electorate of Riverina, the Hillston district is a large potato growing area with the golden delight potato originating in this district. There is a mechanical harvest biannually, one from June to September and the other from October to January. There is a significant concern among growers about the impact zebra chip will have on their crops should it spread to this area. The thing about Hillston potatoes is that they are absolutely fresh and they are amazingly good. I can remember going to the Northern Riverina Football League preliminary final at Hillston last year and the young lad at the gate said to me, 'Sir, would you like to buy a bag of potatoes?' Being a local member, I said: 'Yeah, sure, why not. Pass it through the window.' He said, 'Hardly' and then this burly fellow came out with this huge sack of potatoes. It was more than you could possibly eat in six months. My wife Catherine thought they were the best that she has ever eaten. We go back to Hillston whenever we can and always make sure we buy a sack of potatoes. That is why they should be protected.

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