Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-05-16 Daily Xml

Contents

PHYLLOXERA

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:15): Is the minister then saying that she does not see any additional risks that are of concern to her or the government with respect to, particularly, the Riverland?

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) (15:15): I will just explain the standards and the protocol, the quarantine standards, etc. that surround and protect this state. My understanding is that the protocol that was put together did a full risk assessment and has put in place the protocols that are necessary to continue to protect the phylloxera spread. The changes that the honourable member alludes to are those involving equipment between zones that are phylloxera free.

The phylloxera board itself, the industry itself, decided that that was a reasonable thing so long as the equipment was certified to have not been in a phylloxera area. The industry itself has established these standards. The industry itself has looked at these protocols and approved them. South Australia's phylloxera board, our own South Australian industry, has approved of this and said that these are suitable protocols to continue the protection of our viticulture interests.