Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I lend my support to most of Senator Sterle's comments, having also been on the inquiry into the biosecurity measures. Hopefully, the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee will be visiting Indonesia at some stage in the first half of this year to follow up on measures in place up there in relation to foot-and-mouth disease.

I would like to make a short contribution on the other side of this inquiry and this information, which was about an incursion of varroa mite, in particular Varroadestructor, into Australia. Varroa mite is the most serious global threat to European honey bees and poses a very serious threat now in Australia. Although we have detected varroa mite previously in European honey bees at ports, we've never had a known outbreak in this country. Sadly, in the last 18 months, that's exactly what has happened. Having sat on a number of Senate rural and regional affairs inquiries into the honey industry in the last decade, they have always been concerned about an outbreak of varroa mite, and it's happened. It's here. We travelled around the country taking evidence on this, and we have never seen a response in this country like the one that's being run through the New South Wales DPI and the federal government in a joint declaration of an emergency to try to contain and ultimately eradicate varroa mite.

I want to say today that we did hear from some witnesses—in Newcastle, for example—who were experienced beekeepers and industry advocates and who said they don't believe it is possible to eradicate varroa mite in this country now that it's here, but the New South Wales department and the federal department are still confident we can eradicate varroa mite. I certainly hope that is the case. We hadn't heard much news, which was good news, until just a few days ago, when new cases were recorded in the red zones around Newcastle. It may be a function of more surveillance and more work being done and, hence, more infestations of these mites being found, or it could be that there are new vectors and that it is spreading. Either way, this battle against this most serious of biosecurity breaches will continue.

The Greens are pleased to have been on this inquiry. We asked that varroa mite be included in the terms of reference for this inquiry. Originally, this inquiry was going to be just on foot-and-mouth disease, and then it was on lumpy skin disease also, and we asked if we could also include varroa mite. I know that there are many people in the bee industry who are still concerned. Whether they offer pollination services or are in the honey part of the industry, they're very concerned about a nationally coordinated program to stop the spread of varroa mite. For example, bees are now allowed to be transported and used across borders, when the eradication or containment lines are still being resourced and we haven't actually managed to eradicate this pest.

So there's more work to do, we must be vigilant and we'll certainly look forward to following up any updates at Senate estimates next week.