Another 2000 signatures presented in Canberra to bolster Apple protection
August 26, 2011
Another 2000 signatures presented in Canberra to bolster Apple protection
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MURRAY SHARMAN STONE submitted a petition to Federal Parliament this week, featuring 2000 names of local people, calling on the Gillard Government to implement far stronger protocols to reduce the risk of fire blight entering Australia via New Zealand apple imports. These 2000 signatures are joining the many hundreds of others already tabled and there are more to come.
“This fight must now incorporate our apple buyers in Australia,” Sharman Stone said.
“The Australian Apple and Pear Association is trying to help by placing stickers on all apples which very clearly identifies them as Australian grown. We hope our supermarkets, big and small, and our greengrocers have a national conscience and instead of buying imported fruit, they access our local fruit industry for their apples and pears. Given that it is illegal to sell any fresh product from an overseas country without clearly labelling where it has come from; our fruit buyers must be able to distinguish the imported New Zealand apples from home-grown.
“It is vitally important that these apples do not get thrown away or cores discarded in our fruit growing areas. The Mediterranean climate of Northern Victoria is ideal for the spread of apple and pear fire blight and much more attractive to these bacteria than conditions in New Zealand. Therefore we really must keep New Zealand apples as far away from our fruit trees as possible,” Sharman Stone said.
“We have had up to 15 warnings of potential outbreak of fire blight last year according to computer modelling of our weather conditions in the Goulburn Valley. The good news is that at that time we did not have the bacteria on the loose. Unfortunately we may not be so lucky if these New Zealand apples are added to our nearby supermarkets and stores.
“The Coalition will continue to fight this issue. We cannot give up,” Sharman Stone said.
“The States must also play a major role; Tasmania and South Australia are already investigating ways to prevent fresh New Zealand apples contaminating their local markets. As such, I would call on Victoria to consider what lawful and acceptable measures can be introduced that reduces the risk of diseased apples entering Victoria.
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