House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-05-08 Daily Xml

Contents

Fruit Fly

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (14:46): Supplementary, sir.

The SPEAKER: Supplementary, member for Finniss.

Mr PENGILLY: A PIRSA officer told me at Sellicks Beach that the fruit fly has been in that area for 20 years. Can the minister advise me if that is correct or would he like to take it on notice perhaps?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (14:47): I can talk in general terms from the briefings that I've had that, while we have not had an outbreak of fruit fly in the Riverland for 23 years, we do have regular outbreaks mainly around the metropolitan area. The briefing I have had is that they are mainly in the northern suburbs, and that may have something to do with the fruit markets being out there.

I can check out whether there have been others in Sellicks; I have been the local member down there—as you know, you have the western side of South Road and I have the eastern side. It is the first one that I can recollect in eight years, but I can chase that up for you. But I think the great thing is that these people from Biosecurity SA and PIRSA are working with local growers and the community to make sure that everyone is aware of it and that we will do everything we can to stamp it out.