Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:50): Supplementary: minister, why didn't you and the Premier show leadership and speak with the national body and heed the advice of Michael Simonetta of Perfection Fresh, which would have saved millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs? Do you concede that the event has now been mismanaged due to the advice you received that it could not be contained?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:50): I thank the honourable member for his question, but he is again misunderstanding the process. This is a national decision, a national decision based on science, of the experts in the field. The national decision about whether any pest or disease is feasible to be eradicated is something that is made at that level.

Of course, both the Premier and I have had a number of discussions with relevant bodies and relevant individuals about this, but what the honourable member is suggesting is that we should have gone it alone, which would have closed down our industry—over 200 growers—to be able to export to the rest of the country. Over 200 growers—not three, hard though it was for those three—would have been unable to export their produce, and 90 per cent of South Australia's tomato produce goes interstate.