Media Releases

State Member for Shepparton Jeanette Powell congratulated and commended Fruit Growers Victoria Ltd and fruit growers throughout the Goulburn Valley and across Australia in Parliament for organising a breakfast in Canberra to speak to the Federal Minister for Agriculture Joe Ludwig earlier this month.

Mrs Powell told State Parliament the breakfast was organised to alert the Minister and federal Members of Parliament to the risks associated with importing New Zealand apples into Australia and the impact this will have on fruit growers and the broader community.

“I wrote a letter of support to Fruit Growers Victoria to give to the Minister,” Mrs Powell said.

“I outlined the devastating impact allowing New Zealand apples into the country could have on the Goulburn Valley, which is known as the food bowl of Australia and produces about 85 per cent of Australia’s pears.”

Mrs Powell said New Zealand’s application to export apples to Australia had caused years of angst for growers.

“The major concern is that New Zealand has fire blight, a virulent disease which could devastate our apple and pear industry.

“It develops rapidly and no country has ever been able to eradicate fire blight once it has been established. Any introduction of fire blight will affect our fruit growers and have a massive flow-on effect to businesses in the Goulburn Valley.”

Mrs Powell recently received a letter from local businessman Daryl Gorman advising of his concerns about the impact of New Zealand apples imports to his machinery and tractor business, which is 50 per cent reliant on orchardists.

“This shows the flow on effect to businesses in the Goulburn Valley and the threat to employment.

“Orchardists, business owners and the community have been very vocal in their fight against the importation of New Zealand apples. In 2000, there were 5000 people marching on the streets of Shepparton, and in 2004, about 8000 people joined a fire blight rally.

“Our fruit growers currently have a clean, green image and the threat of virulent diseases such as fire blight will destroy that reputation,” Mrs Powell said.