Beekeeping Industry

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart) (14:42): My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister please advise beekeepers and honey producers whether the government is considering allowing the introduction of interstate bees into South Australia? With your leave and that of the house, sir, I will explain further.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: I have been advised that due to the impact of the recent drought there is now insufficient pollination for almond producers. I have also been advised that there are now discussions regarding the potential introduction of bees from interstate, which could introduce the varroa mite disease to South Australia.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Treasurer, Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Minister for Police) (14:43): I thank the member for Stuart for his question. I have taken the opportunity to seek some advice from the minister—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: No, this is an important topic; we should all listen up. I might learn something. I have received the following advice from the minister, and that is that it is well acknowledged that for many primary producers who rely on bees to pollinate their crops, the drought conditions that are afflicting our state are causing significant impacts to apiarists and making it very difficult for apiarists to provide pollination services from their businesses. That has led, quite rightly, to consideration of whether there can be bees brought in from other places around the nation to pick up some of this task.

I am advised that the South Australian Varroa Industry Advisory Committee, which has been advising the primary industries department on this, has determined not only the number of hives that will be necessary to conduct the pollination activities but that there is a shortfall in the number of hives somewhere between 5,000 and 15,000. So it is a very significant shortfall to pick up.

This is further compounded, I am advised, by the number of beekeepers not wanting to participate currently in the provision of pollination services, instead focusing their particular businesses on honey production or apiary commodity production as their business model. That has meant that in particular Queensland and Victoria have been looked at to bring in bees, and then there is that consideration about whether it's safe.

As the member for West Torrens was saying, of course every government should be clear that they will determine which bees come into our state and the conditions on which they come in. Moreover, we want to make sure that it's done safely with a mind to keeping diseases out of the state, given our reputation for managing biosecurity threats.

There will be the allowance for bees to come in from interstate, but under strict supervision from that advisory committee and from the Department of Primary Industries to make sure that that particular varroa mite is not inadvertently imported into South Australia causing the sorts of impacts that primary producers would otherwise very rightly be worried about.

I hope that has been of benefit to the house. It has been of remarkable benefit to me. I have learnt more about this in the course of the last 3½ minutes than I expected to previously. Thank you.

The SPEAKER: We might have to get you to Kangaroo Island to meet some of the Ligurian bees that produce fine Kangaroo Island honey.