Justine Keay (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

As a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources, I welcome this report. The direct value to the Australian economy of honey and other hive products produced by managed honey bees is estimated at $100 million per year. This may not sound like a lot when compared to the contribution made by other industries or sectors; however, what should be taken into account is the indirect contribution honey bees make through the pollination service they provide to other agricultural sectors. Quantifying this value to the Australian economy is not exactly easy; however, the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council estimates that pollination services provide around $4 billion per annum to the agricultural industry. This is why the committee felt that establishing an inquiry into this matter and, in particular, having a focus on the biosecurity of the Australian honey bee industry, was an important economic issue to pursue.

It is a particularly important industry for Tasmania. It employs a number of people in rural areas and provides important economic benefits to local communities. Honey and associated apiary products are an important part of Tasmania's clean and green image, with Blue Hills Honey in Mawbanna, which is in my electorate of Braddon, just one example of Australia's top producers. The varroa mite poses a particular threat to the Australian honey bee industry, which is clearly not immune to risks and faces a range of biosecurity threats. Biosecurity threats to this industry were an important concern to the committee, particularly the threat posed by the varroa mite. Australia is the only bee-carrying landmass where varroa is not yet present—and I stress, not yet. Sadly, it is quite possibly a matter of when, not if.

Varroa infestation can have catastrophic consequences on honey bee colonies, ultimately culminating in the collapse of the hive. Of the two species of Varroa, V. destructor poses the greatest risk to Australia's honey bee and horticultural industries, which is of significant concern for Tasmania. The ongoing risk of bee pests like varroa arriving in Australia is extremely high. Well-known Tasmanian bee industry stalwart, Lindsay Bourke, presenting to the committee as Chairman of the Australian Honeybee Industry Council, indicated that there are between three and four detections of pest bees or bee pests at the border each year. Tasmania as an island state has a biosecurity risk advantage, and therefore fewer pests and diseases are present in our environment in comparison to that of our counterparts in mainland Australia. We therefore need to ensure that biosecurity measures are strictly enforced. However, our island status, and therefore our natural biosecurity barrier, is no match for the varroa mite, as experienced in the enormous impact it has had on the island nation of New Zealand.

Strong quarantine facilities are extremely important, not only for Tasmania but for the whole nation, to protect the viability of the industry and of our agricultural sector. As stated in the report, the best and first line of defence is pre-embarkation. The committee heard that Australia employs a range of strategies to try and prevent biosecurity incidents as related to honey bees. These include activities beyond, at and behind Australian borders. The committee was provided with evidence to demonstrate the work that occurs along the biosecurity defence continuum, and that the key to our biosecurity defence is pre-embarkation inspections. It was important for me to ensure the committee's report included recommendations that strengthened pre-embarkation inspections, and this is reflected in recommendation 4. The committee has recommended the Australian government undertake analysis of pest bee risk gradings for Australian ports including airports, which currently do not have a rating, and include pre-embarkation inspections and processes at various ports, and for this assessment to be completed by the end of this.

Interception at likely entry points into Australia was identified as another key method of dealing with the intrusion of bee pests. It is pleasing to hear about the collaborative approach being undertaken against the significant threat that the arrival of varroa presents to the Australian honey bee and wider agricultural industries. These approaches, such as selective breeding programs, are recommended by the committee to be undertaken with international industry partners; in particular, learning from the experiences of other countries who have had to deal with varroa, such as New Zealand.

The issue of smuggling bees also warrants further investigation. Along with the committee, I wish to see a detailed examination of this issue. The committee stresses the urgency of ensuring the national bee pest surveillance program is assessed, with a request to immediately initiate the necessary research and development required to do this. This is to ensure the program is effective, efficient and optimised, and for particular focus to be given to catch boxes. The committee heard the number of catch boxes and sentinel hives at ports are insufficient in number, and not in strategic and logical locations at port. In fact, some are too far away, which does not allow for an optimum response to an incursion.

Of course, an appropriate response to the risk of a varroa incursion, and thus early interception, requires funding. The committee recommends the Commonwealth appropriately fund model 3 of the surveillance program. This would result in additional ports having the capability to detect an incursion and would be at a cost of approximately $1.9 million per annum, which is relatively small considering the impact varroa would have on our agricultural sector. It is imperative that the Australian government investigate the member for Paterson's suggestion that an easy-to-use smartphone application be developed to help members of the public take part in eradication programs.

The biosecurity of the Australian honey bee industry is a very important issue, and this report goes a long way to resolving some of the key issues facing the industry.

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