Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1995-10-11
What information do the minister and his department have about the current situation relating to bees at Katherine? What does the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries intend to do about the importation of hives to the Katherine area? What degree of encouragement and dissemination of expertise can all people in the industry expect in future from the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries for the ongoing benefit of the apiary industry in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, at some time earlier this year, the Territory's major bee producer imported, in contravention of the Northern Territory Stock Diseases Act, up to 1000 hives of bees from a location in Queensland. This activity came recently to the attention of officers of my department. As a result, on Friday of last week, the Chief Veterinary Officer wrote to the producer in question, requesting that he remove the bees from the Northern Territory implying that, if he did not do so, action could be taken under the Stock Diseases Act. Let me make it clear at this point that we are not empowered, under the Stock Diseases Act, to compel the relocation of these hives. As the person in question did not appear to be particularly cooperative in this regard, my department has commenced testing of both the hives
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and their honey, enforcing a quarantine order on the hives in question. That testing will continue.
We are concerned about 3 main diseases - chalkbrood disease, American brood disease and European brood disease. They vary in their effects on the apiary industry and in seriousness. Primarily, we are concerned about American brood disease. I might say that tests conducted in Queensland on honey from the hives in question fortunately show that they are free of American brood disease. However, there remains some concern about chalkbrood disease. As I said, my departmental officers have already sent honey interstate for testing for the chalkbrood, American brood and European brood diseases. We will assess the situation on a daily basis as the disease implications become apparent. European brood disease can be treated with antibiotics. The treatment for American brood disease is destruction of the hives. Not much can be done about chalkbrood disease other than improve management practices. However, let me say that the experience interstate is that chalkbrood disease may or may not cause a reduction of about 5% in honey production over the course of the first year, reducing thereafter. However, this is not to say that these diseases are not a serious problem.
In terms of production, a large part of the industry supported the lifting of the quarantine restrictions on importation of hives to the Northern Territory from interstate, subject to certain testing. It is unfortunate that the Territory's major producer chose to jump the gun by ignoring the provisions of the Stock Diseases Act and the restrictions that were in place at the time. Nevertheless, we have to manage the situation as best we may. That may not necessarily need to include destruction of the hives, nor their return to Queensland. However, we will take all the steps necessary to ensure that, if the diseases are present, they do not spread from that one location. At the same time, we are testing the hives of other honey producers to ascertain whether or not European brood disease, American brood disease or chalkbrood disease are already endemic in the Northern Territory. However, they are not particularly easy diseases to detect. A skilled person needs to be looking for the diseases to detect them in a hive. We will address the matter by proper management methods, without too many gung-ho attitudes, and with a view to finding the best solution to this situation in terms of what is best for the industry.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, at some time earlier this year, the Territory's major bee producer imported, in contravention of the Northern Territory Stock Diseases Act, up to 1000 hives of bees from a location in Queensland. This activity came recently to the attention of officers of my department. As a result, on Friday of last week, the Chief Veterinary Officer wrote to the producer in question, requesting that he remove the bees from the Northern Territory implying that, if he did not do so, action could be taken under the Stock Diseases Act. Let me make it clear at this point that we are not empowered, under the Stock Diseases Act, to compel the relocation of these hives. As the person in question did not appear to be particularly cooperative in this regard, my department has commenced testing of both the hives
Page 847
and their honey, enforcing a quarantine order on the hives in question. That testing will continue.
We are concerned about 3 main diseases - chalkbrood disease, American brood disease and European brood disease. They vary in their effects on the apiary industry and in seriousness. Primarily, we are concerned about American brood disease. I might say that tests conducted in Queensland on honey from the hives in question fortunately show that they are free of American brood disease. However, there remains some concern about chalkbrood disease. As I said, my departmental officers have already sent honey interstate for testing for the chalkbrood, American brood and European brood diseases. We will assess the situation on a daily basis as the disease implications become apparent. European brood disease can be treated with antibiotics. The treatment for American brood disease is destruction of the hives. Not much can be done about chalkbrood disease other than improve management practices. However, let me say that the experience interstate is that chalkbrood disease may or may not cause a reduction of about 5% in honey production over the course of the first year, reducing thereafter. However, this is not to say that these diseases are not a serious problem.
In terms of production, a large part of the industry supported the lifting of the quarantine restrictions on importation of hives to the Northern Territory from interstate, subject to certain testing. It is unfortunate that the Territory's major producer chose to jump the gun by ignoring the provisions of the Stock Diseases Act and the restrictions that were in place at the time. Nevertheless, we have to manage the situation as best we may. That may not necessarily need to include destruction of the hives, nor their return to Queensland. However, we will take all the steps necessary to ensure that, if the diseases are present, they do not spread from that one location. At the same time, we are testing the hives of other honey producers to ascertain whether or not European brood disease, American brood disease or chalkbrood disease are already endemic in the Northern Territory. However, they are not particularly easy diseases to detect. A skilled person needs to be looking for the diseases to detect them in a hive. We will address the matter by proper management methods, without too many gung-ho attitudes, and with a view to finding the best solution to this situation in terms of what is best for the industry.
Page 848
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016