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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-04-04 Daily Xml
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FRUIT FLY

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:32): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries questions in relation to random fruit fly roadblocks in the Riverland.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: I note the minister's responses to my questions last week on this subject, in which she stated in part that, out of the 103 infringements detected over the last long weekend, only three drivers received fines, with the remaining 100 drivers simply being issued warnings. She went on to say that the random roadblock set-up on the Sturt Highway near Blanchetown over the last long weekend intercepted 180 kilograms of fruit and vegetables being wrongfully transported into the Riverland quarantine zone. My questions are:

1. Can the minister advise the council what criteria are being used to determine whether an individual who has been considered to have breached the regulations relating to the carriage of fruit and vegetables through a quarantine zone will receive a fine or a warning?

2. Is the minister confident that the message about the dangers of fruit fly and contamination of quarantine zones is getting through to the public, given that, over the same long weekend on which the random fruit fly roadblock was operating, the permanent roadblock at Yamba intercepted a total of 364 kilograms of fruit and vegetables being wrongfully transported into the Riverland quarantine zone?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:33): Indeed, the management of our fruit fly quarantine is quite critical to our horticultural industry. As I have spoken about in this place before, the Riverland roadblock and our other roadblocks are all a very important part of that biosecurity.

I have said in this place before that fruit fly is the world's most economically significant horticultural pest and that South Australia should be very proud of itself: it is the only Australian mainland state or territory that is acknowledged as being fruit fly free for both the Mediterranean and the Queensland fruit fly. I have said in this place before that industry sources have indicated that the fruit-fly free area for the Riverland provides that region with access to the US and Asian markets, with a net benefit of around $3 to $5 per carton of citrus fruit.

I repeat that because I think it is really important that we do understand the incredible economic value that the management of our fruit fly quarantine is to this state. It is probably, in terms of value to the industry, around $600 million. In terms of the criteria, they are operational matters. I do not have that level of detail with me, but I am happy to refer that to the agency and provide a response.

In terms of the message, I believe it is important that members of the public do not become complacent. I think they see that things are probably pretty well managed so, therefore, there is no need to be too fussed about things. So, it is easy for the public to become complacent, and it is critical that we make sure that our message is very clear and very focused: that one can never, ever become complacent about biosecurity around fruit fly—for that matter, for any of our other pests, but certainly in relation to the everyday exchange of fruit across the border, in and out of cars and planes and suchlike.

It is most important that we do keep that message up. Indeed, I have been advised that Easter will be a very busy time for our inspectors. I understand that many officers will be made available around our roadblocks to make sure that, during this festive time when families often do move around, people are made aware and checked in relation to compliance around fruit fly.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Dawkins has a supplementary.

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