James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Sterle, for acknowledging the threat that this Panama tropical race 4 poses to the Queensland banana industry. I was fortunate in my two trips to North Queensland over the past six weeks to meet with some local banana growers, in particular the families of one of the impacted banana plantations, along with Steve Lizzio in Innisfail. I really appreciate that they have taken the time to speak with me. I commend the Australian Banana Growers' Council Chairman, Doug Phillips, and the CEO, Jim Pekin, for their work towards finding a solution to this menace and for their advocacy of growers' interests. I say to them: 'We are all in this together, and we are all behind you.'