BOB Katter is keeping a suspicious eye on the combined governments’ biosecurity response to Panama disease Tropical Race 4 which has been discovered on a Tully banana property.
The federal member for Kennedy and leader of Katter’s Australian Party said he viewed with a very cynical suspicion Canberra’s position on the disease, imports and biosecurity.
“It has been the grimmest battle against the Department of Trade and the Ministries responsible for quarantine, both of whom are determined that every product on earth be allowed into Australia, no matter how rife with disease they are,” he said.
“My scepticism arises from the fact that I truly believe that the free-marketers, the ALP and LNP eco-rats, actually want this disease into the country, so that they can then import bananas.
“As once we have all the diseases, we have a weakened case for keeping imported bananas out.
“It needs mentioning that almost certainly the last outbreak occurred on the boots of s457 workers who had come into the country with Panama Disease”.
Last week the Federal Department of Agriculture told Fairfax Media that the presence of Panama disease in Australia would not have implications for fresh banana imports from countries.
“There are no recent requests to import fresh bananas from any overseas market,” a department spokesperson said.
“Panama disease was assessed in the Philippine banana IRA but the pathogen was considered not to be associated with fresh commercial fruit.
“The Philippines have not sought to export bananas to Australia.”
Mr Katter also said the Panama outbreak highlighted the fact Australia has no universal insurance to cover outbreaks.
“People who do come forward with a suspected outbreak of a disease are stigmatised, if not outright bankrupted. People won’t come forward and do that to their family or their neighbours,” he said.
