Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak this morning in the House on behalf of the many hardworking agribusinesses in the electorate of Casey, in the Yarra Valley, the heart of agribusiness, just east of Melbourne. In particular, I wish to speak about the critical issue of the importation of New Zealand apples. You would be aware, Mr Deputy Speaker Slipper, as I know the member for Wannon would be, that the importation of New Zealand apples into Australia has been banned for a considerable period of time. In fact, they have been banned since 1919 for biosecurity reasons, as it was in that year that fire blight, a bacterial disease with catastrophic consequences for the apple and pear industries, was discovered on the North Island of New Zealand. As many members from rural-regional electorates have said in this House, once fire blight takes hold, there is really no turning back. It is like that saying: once the toothpaste is out of the tube, it is impossible to get it back in. Of the 49 countries that have had fire blight affect their agribusiness industries, not one has managed to eradicate it. It is for that biosecurity reason that, for 91 years, we have prohibited the importation of New Zealand apples.

Recently, after years of appeals from New Zealand, the WTO deemed that this risk can be managed; but the protocols to manage this are, on any reading, completely flimsy and, in this regard, there has to be action. I support absolutely the introduction yesterday of the private member's bill by the shadow minister for agriculture and food security, the Hon. John Cobb. The Quarantine Legislation Amendment (Apples) Bill 2011, as it is called, would make a permit to import apples a disallowable instrument. This is absolutely critical to ensuring that we have the most stringent biosecurity standards possible. I strongly support the bill and I strongly support the statements from my colleagues, including the member for Wannon, on this very important issue. (Time expired)