Nationals Leader David Littleproud said the citrus industry is facing growing concerns about the lack of a high-quality import risk assessment of the citrus fruit Pomelo.
Mr Littleproud said it was clear independent scientific experts were needed, amid growing concerns over Labor’s decision to import Pomelo from Vietnam, just weeks after the Australian Banana Growers’ Council raised concerns about the assessment process of potential banana imports from the Philippines.
Mr Littleproud said Australia urgently needs to know if Labor is sacrificing our high biosecurity standards, and why a Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) hasn’t been brought in, despite recommendations to do so.
“Our citrus industry, along with bananas, is simply too important to be put at risk,” Mr Littleproud said.
“The risk of citrus canker being introduced is deeply concerning. But on top of that, Labor isn’t being transparent and is treating the industry with contempt.
“We need a SAG not just to protect our industries but also to protect our lifestyle and our productivity.
“I am deeply concerned Labor is ignoring the advice of the Inspector-General of Biosecurity and not completing import risk assessments to the highest standard as possible. Once you get an exotic disease such as citrus canker in Australia it has an enormous impact on our growers who will then have to foot a bill to try to eradicate it.
“We need a full Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis under the Biosecurity Act, which the Minister can direct the Department to undertake.”
Citrus Australia CEO Nathan Hancock said industry is very nervous.
“The Department has not understood the risk of this pathogen and has underrated the risk of citrus canker being introduced into Australia, only a few years after successfully eradicating it at a cost of $18.7 million,” Mr Hancock said.
“We are concerned that in this case, the imported fruit is not grown in a region of demonstrable low or no pest prevalence, and that the Department is allowing trade from regions with citrus canker, based on a risk assessment that has not benefited from independent citrus pathology expertise.
“The Department has proposed a farm to pack-shed systems approach to lower the risk of transmission. We argue that a systems approach is not appropriate for a highly infectious disease like citrus canker.
“The citrus industry is a significant economic driver in regional Australia and has heavily invested in biosecurity preparedness, by allowing this risk pathway to be open the Department is putting all that at risk.”
