8 June 2016

Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Primary Industries and Water

New strategy to protect Tasmania from fruit fly

Protecting our borders and maintaining modern and effective biosecurity has been a strong and consistent commitment from the Hodgman Liberal Government.

Queensland Fruit Fly is one of the major risks to the strength of our fruit industries and today I announced the development of a new Tasmanian Fruit Fly Strategy.

Our fruit fly free status is critical for our fruit producers to access valuable overseas markets.

Tasmanian cherry exports alone were worth $50 million in 2015/16 and accounted for over 65 per cent of Australia’s total cherry exports with significant growth on the horizon.

Our comprehensive system of import protocols, surveillance and biosecurity frontline is working well and has for the past century successfully protected Tasmania from fruit fly.

In a rapidly changing world, this new overarching Strategy will help ensure our system continues to be contemporary and future-proof our multi-million dollar premium fruit industry.

An independent expert will assist the Government to develop the ‘Maintaining Tasmania’s Freedom from Fruit Fly- a Strategy for the Future” by the end of 2016 based on the following terms of reference:

• Assess likely risk areas and test the current regulatory approach to fruit fly risk mitigation in Tasmania and its future direction, including changes in tourism, export and import volumes and projected changes in climate.
• Identify how to build on our existing fruit fly free status to operate a contemporary fruit fly regulatory system, in partnership with beneficiary industries.
• Provide recommendations that ensure future operations are fit-for-purpose and directly engage with beneficiary industries.
• Examine opportunities for Tasmania’s engagement with the Sterile Insect Technology program.

The Strategy will be developed with Biosecurity Tasmania and the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture in close collaboration with industry stakeholders including Fruit Growers Tasmania, TFGA and the Commonwealth Government.

The Hodgman Liberal Government recognises that growing the value of our primary industries sector is not just about the quality product that our farmers are producing.

With the Budget back on track, we are providing an additional $2 million over the next four years doubling our vital frontline detector dog teams to that under Labor and the Greens – bringing the total to 12 teams in operation.

And we are building a modern biosecurity system that can better protect our primary industries sector from the threat of pests and disease, respond appropriately if an incursion occurs, and provide the best opportunity for our producers to continue to have access to a wide range of markets.

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