By Jess Baker
Southern Downs Regional Council has thrown its support behind the region’s apple growers, as concerns about the potential importation of USA apples to Australia increase.
At a 12 May ordinary council meeting, SDRC officers noted the council had received correspondence from the Apple and Pear Australian Ltd (APAL) expressing industry concerns over the consideration by the Australian government to the importation of apples from the USA.
A report tabled at the meeting stated APAL was concerned that the biosecurity risks associated with importation had not been adequately considered by the Australian government, leaving the domestic apple industry open to “unacceptable threats” from exotic disease.
“Plant biosecurity and quarantine are matters for state and federal governments, however, (the) council has significant interest in the protection of the local apple industry, which is worth an estimated $75 million to the Southern Downs economy annually,” read the report.
Southern Downs councillor Cynthia McDonald said it was crucial the council stand up for local industry.
“My belief certainly in the international environment which we are facing a the moment, (is that) we need to be looking after our own backyard,” she said.
“We need to make sure that we are self-sufficient as a nation and therefore coming down to our lowest level of government – the local level – we need to ensure that we are looking after our growers and our agricultural industry which affects us so much in the Southern Downs.”
Councillor Ross Bartley questioned why, given how much is produced domestically, Australia would ever need to import apples.
“I know there’s the trade agreements and what have you, but I think when it comes to prime production, I think they need to align the horticulture sector with the agriculture sector and say, ‘if that commodity is available, you use all that’s national produced first before you go outside’.”
All councillors who were in the room at the time of voting agreed to write to Federal Member for Maranoa and Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud to express the council’s opposition to importation of USA apples to Australia.
