FEDERAL independent MP Tony Windsor says the Asian honeybee eradication program could continue beyond its March 31 deadline, if the Primary Industries Ministerial Council agreed to an extension.
Mr Windsor put the question to Tony Burke, the Minister representing the Agriculture Minister, Senator Joe Ludwig, in the House of Representatives last week, saying Mr Burke’s answer had raised the industry’s hopes.
Mr Windsor has a significant number of honey industry members in his New England electorate, who have expressed concerns about the eradication program ending and propelling the Asian bee to the mantle of “the cane toad of the insect world”.
In answering Mr Windsor’s question, Mr Burke indicated the PIMC considered the eradication program at a meeting in November 2010 and while deciding to extend funding until March 31, were yet to agree to an extension.
Mr Windsor urged the PIMC to heed the bee industry’s calls and continue funding.
In the House, Mr Windsor said the government was currently intending to withdraw funding for the Asian bee eradication program based on “tenuous scientific advice”.
Mr Burke acknowledged the biosecurity issue’s significance but said when the Asian bee was first found in QLD in May 2007, Peter McGauran was the Agriculture Minister and “nothing was done”.
He said containment funding prior to Labor coming to government amounted to “zero dollars”.
But since then the ministerial council had approved several extensions of the eradication program, including the recent extension to March 31.
“Further funding approval beyond that is a decision yet to be made by the ministerial council, but the decision that the member for New England has raised is a decision of the scientific committee,” he said.
“Obviously, the concerns that he has raised will be passed on directly to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.”
Mr Burke said the issue was “much bigger” than just the honey industry.
He said the bees provided pollination services to a whole series of industries and made a massive difference to their productivity.
But he said a number of other issues also needed to be “put on the table and understood here”.
“First of all, no other country has ever managed to eradicate Asian bees once they have arrived,” he said.
“Secondly….the Australian government - since we came to office - has worked closely with the QLD government, the states and territories and the Honey Bee Industry Council to prevent the establishment and spread of the pest.
“Thirdly, the Asian Honey Bee National Management Group is an independent science based group which comprises federal, state and territory government officers, representatives of Plant Health Australia and representatives of the Honey Bee Industry Council.
“In addition, the decision the member for New England referred to was based on a number of scientific factors from the national management group.
“It was not a decision of government.
“That decision of the national management group was based on scientific factors, including the breeding rate of the bees, their tendency to swarm and their ability to cover extraordinarily long distances when they swarm, which has created significant difficulties in locating all of the nests and destroying them.
“The decision that that management group has made reflects the scientific assessment of the feasibility of eradication but does not amount to a decision that there will not be continued engagement in other areas other than eradication in terms of control.”
