Urgent action needed today to deal with Liberals’ fruit fly catastrophe

• TFGA calling for a full scale response
• State-wide television, radio, social media and print advertising needed now
• Checkpoints needed to limit spread of potentially infected fruit

Tasmanian Labor will give its bipartisan support for urgent funds to be spent to raise awareness of the Liberals fruit fly catastrophe.

“The Liberals have described the incursion of fruit fly as a natural disaster but have not acted with the required urgency,” Labor Leader Rebecca White said.
“Labor will support immediate expenditure for a state-wide television, radio, social media and print advertising campaign.
“In addition Labor will support the establishment of checkpoints on major arterial roads at the perimeter of exclusion zones.
“The TFGA has repeatedly called for a ramping up of the response but Will Hodgman has been too slow to act”
Yesterday Labor proposed a number of urgent actions that should be taken now and into the future including:
 Establish a Fruit Fly Taskforce including government, industry and emergency service personnel to lead the response
 Call for increased biosecurity support from other states to ensure a highly visible biosecurity workforce within the control areas
 Doubling the support package to primary producers to $4 million
 Call on the Turnbull Government to match Labor’s financial commitment
 Staff all checkpoints on all major arterial roads in and out of control zones
 Establish stronger border control checks for all fruit importations
 Enlist the services of SES volunteers and other volunteer emergency services personnel to support the work of Biosecurity Tasmania, including authorising those people who work alongside Biosecurity Tasmania officials, doubling the frontline presence
 Fund a statewide awareness campaign
 Ensure all flights into Tasmania are checked
“Tasmania’s national and international reputation is on the line and unless we act with the urgency that is required it may be too late.
“State and Federal Labor have made commitments totalling $5.7 million to employ an additional 20 biosecurity officers.
“If Will Hodgman and Malcolm Turnbull were serious about biosecurity they would match Labor’s commitments.
“Our farmers have worked too hard to develop a Tasmanian brand to have it lost by Will Hodgman’s unnecessary cuts and loss of control.”
Rebecca White MP Labor Leader 23 February 2018