Mr CONLAN - 2015-03-25
Can you please update the House on how the National Banana Freckle Eradication Program is tracking in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. He is very fortunate that Alice Springs is not in one of the red zones, but he takes an active interest in what is going on with the biosecurity of the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory is on track to eradicate banana freckle. More than 39 000 households have joined the fight against this serious plant disease. That is an amazing effort and I thank Territorians for their foresight in being at the front of Australia’s largest-ever plant biosecurity response. In fewer than 2300 properties destruction is outstanding, and 600 of those are already booked in for destruction or self-destruction. More than 90% of all premises in the red zones have complied with the eradication program. This work is vital to ensure we can all grow healthy bananas into the future. This means healthy fruit for back yard growers and the NT banana industry more widely.
There are plenty of questions around why healthy banana plants in red zones must be destroyed as well as those affected by banana freckle. The short answer is banana freckle cannot survive without banana plants. This means every plant that stays in the ground during this time is a potential host. Eradication is the only option if we are to rid the Territory of this pest. I am pleased to inform the House that eradication has been completed in two of the red zones, which are the Tiwi Islands and Ramingining. I want to thank everyone in those communities as they have helped secure the biosecurity of the Northern Territory.
Batchelor, Rum Jungle, Dundee Beach and the Daly River – Nauiyu – area are also close to eradication completion. There is still a small pocket of resistance, but I hope it will be on board by the 30 April eradication deadline. Everyone must do their bit if this program is to be successful. A few back yard bananas are simply not worth putting the biosecurity of the NT at risk.
Banana freckle has not been detected outside the current red zones, which is an important factor. I thank the field teams working around the clock to ensure that all red zone banana plants are removed by the end of the month. Sadly, we have also recently seen the outbreak of panama in Queensland. These matters must be dealt with as a matter of priority as they have the potential to cripple the banana industry across the Territory. I am proud to say that the NT government has provided Queensland with diagnostic laboratory support. We will continue to help Queensland with its efforts regarding panama disease.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. He is very fortunate that Alice Springs is not in one of the red zones, but he takes an active interest in what is going on with the biosecurity of the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory is on track to eradicate banana freckle. More than 39 000 households have joined the fight against this serious plant disease. That is an amazing effort and I thank Territorians for their foresight in being at the front of Australia’s largest-ever plant biosecurity response. In fewer than 2300 properties destruction is outstanding, and 600 of those are already booked in for destruction or self-destruction. More than 90% of all premises in the red zones have complied with the eradication program. This work is vital to ensure we can all grow healthy bananas into the future. This means healthy fruit for back yard growers and the NT banana industry more widely.
There are plenty of questions around why healthy banana plants in red zones must be destroyed as well as those affected by banana freckle. The short answer is banana freckle cannot survive without banana plants. This means every plant that stays in the ground during this time is a potential host. Eradication is the only option if we are to rid the Territory of this pest. I am pleased to inform the House that eradication has been completed in two of the red zones, which are the Tiwi Islands and Ramingining. I want to thank everyone in those communities as they have helped secure the biosecurity of the Northern Territory.
Batchelor, Rum Jungle, Dundee Beach and the Daly River – Nauiyu – area are also close to eradication completion. There is still a small pocket of resistance, but I hope it will be on board by the 30 April eradication deadline. Everyone must do their bit if this program is to be successful. A few back yard bananas are simply not worth putting the biosecurity of the NT at risk.
Banana freckle has not been detected outside the current red zones, which is an important factor. I thank the field teams working around the clock to ensure that all red zone banana plants are removed by the end of the month. Sadly, we have also recently seen the outbreak of panama in Queensland. These matters must be dealt with as a matter of priority as they have the potential to cripple the banana industry across the Territory. I am proud to say that the NT government has provided Queensland with diagnostic laboratory support. We will continue to help Queensland with its efforts regarding panama disease.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016