July 13, 2011
Australia's stringent controls on raw pork imports remain
Australia is adamant that no fresh pork will cross its shores from New Zealand.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Joe Ludwig, said it was wrong to suggest fresh pork could be imported from New Zealand to Australia.
He was responding to concerns that other senators had. "If Senators Heffernan, Williams, Xenophon and Milne had done their homework, they would know that pork is a black-listed product for importation from New Zealand," Ludwig said. "Any suggestions that the decision of a foreign government would alter Australia's science-based biosecurity policy are completely false and are intentionally fear mongering."
He said an incident involving the four senators and two pigs in Federation Mall proved they were all stunts and no substance.
"The unfounded and ill-advised outburst shows how neither the coalition nor the Greens are capable of serious national policy debate when it comes to Australia's biosecurity system.
"Australia will not be watering down its strict science-based quarantine and border protection system."
No fresh pig meat would be allowed into Australia without meeting the strictest biosecurity standards, Ludwig said.
New Zealand pork producers are concerned that the importation of raw pork into New Zealand, which the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry now wants to allow, will bring with it the pig-wasting, piglet-killing disease porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).
New Zealand and Australia are two of the few countries which do not have the disease.
Manawatu pork producer Steve Kidby said the New Zealand ministry's approach to maintaining the health status of its livestock contrasted starkly with the Australian ministry.
Australia undertook research to assess the risk of imported pig meat introducing PRRS into Australia, and on this basis put in place more stringent border control measures than New Zealand.