Tuesday, 15 October 2024

 Tim McCURDY (Ovens Valley) (19:16): (859) My adjournment is to the Minister for Agriculture, and the action that I seek is that the minister immediately reinstate the Queensland fruit fly eradication program. Many in this Parliament do not understand the fruit fly program that has existed. This is not a program subsidising the fruitgrowers, and it is not about saying it is time fruitgrowers manage their own pests, because fruitgrowers in Cobram, Mooroopna, Invergordon and Shepparton already manage fruit fly and the outbreaks on their properties. It is their responsibility, and they manage it. What this program does is manage fruit fly infestations in townships like Cobram, Numurkah and others where unkept or poorly managed vegetable patches can be the location of fruit fly outbreaks and then infestation can occur across the farming region.

The Allan Labor government has turned its back on fruitgrowers by saying it will no longer support fruit fly outbreaks from town infestations. This is now asking farmers to manage rogue fruit fly outbreaks that occur in other people’s backyards but that will determine the viability of fruitgrowers in northern Victoria. The minister needs to stand up to the bullies in cabinet who continue to run the heavy roller over regional businesses and communities. Fruit fly is well managed on farms, but asking farmers to manage fruit fly in regional town backyards is a mistake – a massive mistake – and an indictment of the goodwill that regional farmers have to deliver fresh food to our city cousins. Turning your back on fruitgrowers will cost some fruitgrowers their livelihood and will cost Labor at the next election. It is not too late to reinstate the funding.