ALP slips on Saffin’s banana import Dorothy Dixer

A pre-scripted question by Page MP Janelle Saffin has revealed the Rudd Government blames angry foreign growers and the Queensland Nationals for its own decision to import Filipino bananas, according to North Coast Nationals duty Senator Fiona Nash. “In response to a ‘Dorothy Dix’ question from Ms Saffin, Agriculture Minister Tony Burke claimed the Rudd Government’s go-ahead for foreign imports had come about because of Labor’s concern that ‘Filipino growers have been extraordinarily angry’,” Senator Nash said. “Mr Burke then spread the blame to Nationals Leader Warren Truss.” “However no Filipino bananas arrived in Australia on the Coalition’s watch,” Senator Nash countered. “Rather, the decision to allow banana imports from the Philippines was made last week by Biosecurity Australia – an agency which reports directly to the Minister for Agriculture. “ “The risk assessment relies on vigilant quarantine measures, but more importantly, with open and accountable supply chains. As yet, this has not been convincingly established.” “The science has not changed: diseases such as black sigatoka, panama and moko are still rife in the Philippines.” “North Coast banana growers have been hung out to dry by Rudd and Saffin who are more concerned with lofty international ideals than the food security on the North Coast.” “They both love the international stage, but Ms Saffin has to decide whether she is going to be the Member for Manila or stand up for North Coast banana growers’” Senator Nash concluded.

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