Nationals conference unanimously opposes banana imports

June 12, 2009

A motion which opposes the importation of bananas from the Philippines has been unanimously endorsed by The Nationals at its State Conference in Wagga, Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker said today.

Motion 29 of the conference proposed the following:  “That this conference condemns the decision of the Federal Government to allow the importation of bananas into Australia thus exposing the domestic banana industry to the risk of serious exotic diseases.”

“I welcome the Party’s endorsement of my position on Philippine bananas which has been that Australia’s clean, green industry should not be placed at risk from these imports,” Mr Hartsuyker said.  “The Nationals will continue to fight any plan to allow the Philippine bananas into Australia.

 

“Australia has a definite competitive advantage over other nations because our bananas are free of major diseases. It does not make sense to put that reputation and the quality of our product at risk.  It is essential that Australia remains free of exotic diseases such as Moko, Black Sigatoka and Freckle which are prevalent in Philippine bananas.”

 

Mr Hartsuyker said the Rudd Government could not use strict quarantine measures as an excuse for permitting the importation of overseas bananas.  “The recent EI outbreak in the horse industry highlighted the dire consequences which result when our quarantine standards are not maintained.”

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