Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:55): Supplementary: is the minister aware of any false positives in this testing regime?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:55): As I referred to earlier, what is the case in terms of the science-based framework that has come back from the nationally agreed involvement with the national response is that the results will come back as either clearly positive, clearly negative or where they are in a particular range. Clearly negative is one range of numbers, clearly positive is another range of numbers and there is a range within that, in the middle of that, where they are considered to be inconclusive.

At the moment, according to my advice, such results are required to have additional testing undertaken. That is where, quite understandably, there has been frustration. PIRSA has been arguing that there should be some changes to the sampling regime. When I say that PIRSA has been arguing, remembering that this framework has to be agreed nationally. PIRSA is using its expertise to advocate for the growers in the infected properties.

Just some of the things that PIRSA has been able to do are, I think, worth highlighting. As I mentioned earlier, the spread of the disease has been limited to only three infected properties, and that is as a result of the application of control measures and the intensive tracing and sampling campaign. PIRSA has been able to argue to maintain markets for all but the three infected properties for trade to the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

All other South Australian growers can access these markets without limitation. PIRSA has been able to negotiate sampling programs to allow all growers but the three infected properties to access the Western Australia and Queensland markets, albeit obviously with the testing and sampling regimes that have been set nationally.

I am also advised that PIRSA has very recently been able to argue to Western Australia, successfully, that Western Australia should modify its sampling regime to allow one 300-leaf test to be taken within each greenhouse rather than separate 300-leaf tests for every variety within every greenhouse. That will mean that less sampling and testing is required. PIRSA continues to take that same argument to Queensland for consideration.

These are just some examples of where PIRSA has successfully advocated in regard to this. Again, it needs to be based on the scientific evidence available. There is a science panel, which I have referred to before in this place, that was set up nationally when it became evident that this disease had arrived in Australia. That body is doing a lot of the work and is of course advising the national management group.