Latest fruit fly discovery shows Barnett is asleep at the wheel

• New detection kept quiet by government over the weekend
• Information needs to be given to producers urgently
• Barnett follows Courtney with inadequate and secretive response

The latest discovery of fruit fly in Tasmania at Lady Barron on Flinders Island was kept from the public and producers for several days by the Liberal Government which needs to treat detections with more urgency.

Shadow Primary Industries Minister Shane Broad said newly minted Primary Industries Minister Guy Barnett was following his equally secretive predecessor Sarah Courtney by failing to keep the public up-to-date.

“It’s extremely alarming that this detection has been made on Flinders Island and now we can only hope that with the warmer weather, there are not further fruit fly found on mainland Tasmania,” Dr Broad said.

“What’s equally alarming is that this detection was made late last week and the government has not informed Tasmanians until late this afternoon.

“The critical component of biosecurity response is timeliness. People need to be informed straight away so they can keep an eye out.

“New Minister Guy Barnett should not be following the example of Sarah Courtney earlier this year and Jeremy Rockliff before that.

“He should not be hiding information and the secrecy needs to stop.”