Federated Farmers is urging the Ministry of Primary Industries to do whatever it takes to eliminate the threat of Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni).
Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Vice-President and biosecurity spokesperson said:
“If action is needed we need to be quick and decisive about it. This is truly a serious threat to horticulture and we’ve simply got too much to lose.
“Once we get on top of this incursion, there needs to a closer look at passenger entry at the border. The risk is less from cargo and more from the millions who enter New Zealand each year. . . “
New Zealand and Australia have the strictest biosecurity controls I’ve encountered but no system is foolproof.
I’m always very careful about what I take from one country to another but once inadvertently brought an insect home from Argentina.
I’d wrapped wine bottles in bubble wrap on the floor before we left and when unwrapping them saw an insect crawl out. My daughter cut it in half with scissors and then I burned it.
No harm was done on this occasion but it has made me even more vigilant when I travel.
Not everyone takes biosecurity concerns seriously, many don’t realise the danger posed by incursions. However, no matter how alert travellers are and how strict the screening is, the risk of breeches are ever present.
Homepaddock 
I think the pathetic $200 fine for bringing undeclared foods into the country is the problem. Make it $100,000. And enforce it – evenif it means confiscation of property. If they are not NZ residents then deport them, after they have paid the fine. Make no exceptions for age, infirmity (those dear old ladies are the worst) or for any other reason. There will always be people who try (the signs about drugs in Singapore don’t stop everyone) but I suspect that extreme measures will stop most people risking it all for a guava.
LikeLike
National has cut front-line biosecurity staff numbers, Ele. Or were you unaware of that, Ele?
Do you think that was a good idea.
LikeLike
Brian Is on Track, the Penalties as set out in the TV programs on both side of the Tasman indicate a system that invites trouble.
We do not have quite as many armed services as we did in 1945 either and there are good reasons for that dangerous exposure.
The culture that leads to the all to often “leaking of documents by public servants who have a very different idea of loyalty to their job than I would have, could very likely release male fruit flies and then alert the authorities to make a political point.
The means justify the ends situation, with no conscience.
Strange how many snails just happen to be discovered in areas proposed for mining developments.
Then there are the Taniwha that seem to inhabit road corridors, of course the taniwha are easily controlled with a bit of koha.
I assume Koha is an organic control, wouldn’t want to compromise our clean GREEN image eh.
Btw our service club scored a visit to the arrivals hall at CHC and without telling us all the secrets they conclusively proved interception is not the problem, lack of enforcement and penalties/ consequences are the problems,
However you made an expected response Robert so your system is in order. Bloody John Key, probably smuggled a banana in the dipo pouch, that could explain it all.
LikeLike
You expected my response, Gravedodger, because it’s the patently obvious one. A reduction in front-line biosecurity staff and allowing greater numbers of people to pass through our ‘borders’ unchecked was inevitably going to lead to a breach like this. If the fruitfly had arrived following a reduction in services by the past Labour Government, you’d be berating them for it no doubt.
The potential for harm from the fly is immense. Should we simply say, oh well, John’s a jolly fine chap with a lovely smile, let’s not spoil his day by mentioning THE FLY!
Please.
LikeLike
Brian – I think that’s a bit extreme, a friend was fined because he didn’t realise his young daughter had a banana in the very bottom of her backpack; another friend brought boots in for his daughter, he couldn’t find his glasses to fill in the form, his wife did it for him and forgot to declare them. He had cleaned them so was let off with a written warning.
GD – thanks for the information from the frontline.
But Robert, GD tells us the people at the frontline say inception isn’t the problem, it’s lack of enforcement and penalties.
LikeLike
But Ele, that’s not the true. Scores of people get to walk straight through. In any case, I’d have thought you would oppose ‘enforcement and penalties’ as a tool for managing anything at all. You don’t seem to like Regional Councils using it to manage the effects of farming on the environment 🙂
LikeLike
(-e)th.
LikeLike
People walk through but all bags are x-rayed.
That’s where most danger lies and in my experience staff are very vigilant about anything that might pose a risk. I had to empty a case to show that a jar contained handcream as I said it did and not honey as the bloke at the x-ray suspected and several other times I’ve had to take things out to prove they’re safe.
I think education and communication should be improved before any consideration is made of increasing penalties. Lots of New Zealadnersdon’t understand the risk and people from overseas, whose ignorance of the law could be increased by language problems, are even less likely to realise what is required.
LikeLike
@homepaddock – but if you had said it was handcream and it was honey, I believe that a $200 fine is insufficient.
As to the person above whose friend’s daughter had a banana in her backpack – tough. If she was a minor, then the friend was responsible.
We are talking about the potential to cripple our exports, depending on the bug/disease that is brought into the country.
LikeLike
Brian – that would be a deliberate attempt to circumumvent the law and I’d be very surprsied if penalties for that aren’t already much higher than the $200 for unwittingly bringing in something prohibited.
LikeLike