Senator fights banana import plan
The Opposition leader for Northern Australia and Resources is planning to warn against allowing bananas from the Phillipines into Australia in Senate Estimates today, raising concerns it could create risks for the local industry.
Northern Australia and Resources Opposition spokesperson Senator Susan McDonald said in a media release that 95 percent of Australia’s bananas were sourced from North Queensland farms.
She raised concerns about import rules being relaxed for the Philippines saying it could impact the local industry that employed more than 18,000 people and formed a $1.3 billion supply chain.
“Australian farmers comply with reef regulations, vegetation management, quality assurance, Sedex, Farmsafe, chemical management, industrial relations conditions, anti-slavery provisions, amongst others,” Senator McDonald said.
“It’s unreasonable that our Australian government would demand our farmers meet these high standards, and consider imports of products from nations who do not meet the same standards.”
McDonald warned that fruit imports could bring pests and diseases including Black Sigatoka, Moko and blood disease to Australia, claiming they were impacting growers across Asia.
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“The Australian banana industry has achieved world-leading biosecurity outcomes, eradicating diseases other nations have never managed to control,” McDonald said.
“I’ll be asking officials to explain why the Philippines is being considered for import approval, and how Australians can have confidence that our strict biosecurity and food-safety standards will be maintained.”
McDonald claimed she wanted clarity on whether Australian farmers’ work toward achieving a disease-free status would be protected.
“Australian bananas are available year-round, they are affordable, healthy and safe. We cannot risk all that for the sake of process,” she said.
“We know that once plant and animal diseases enter Australia, it is virtually impossible to get rid of them.”
