Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to note that more than 200 beekeepers descended on Parliament House on Wednesday to highlight the dangers of the Asian honey bee. Spearheading that campaign was campaign organiser from Indi Jodie Goldsworthy. If only the government gave enough attention and care to the needs and concerns of business campaign organisers as well as union organisers, perhaps the honey bee industry would not be in the plight it is now. Joining Jodie were honey bee keepers from all over Australia, including Linton Briggs.

The Labor Party ceases a mere $5 million eradication program. While they reinstate hundreds of millions of dollars of programs at the request of the Greens, waste more than $10 million on advertising a health system that never even came into existence, what do they do for a very important industry that has ramifications for food security in Australia and poses significant threats to local agriculture, not only in the north-east, but all over Australia? Nothing! It falls on silent ears.

The Asian honey bee is a great danger to our domestic industry. It is a natural host of the varroa mite, a major threat to Australia’s honey bee industry. If this government care at all about biosecurity and have any interest in it, they will reinstate the funding and listen to the local industry.