Varroa Mite

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:35): Supplementary: what is the minister, and indeed the government, doing about that shortfall of hives for pollination in the current year, and in particular for any safe movement of hives for the horticultural industry and agricultural industry?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:36): The second part of that question I have already answered today. The first part I have answered to some degree, which is that there are brokers in place who manage the sourcing of hives between pollination-dependent industries and apiarists. These are businesses; obviously, they are able to source hives from a variety of different locations around the country—subject, of course, to the national varroa response plan and the permits that I mentioned.