The Liberal Government should be condemned for failing to listen to the concerns of Tasmania's $400 million potato industry.
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Shane Broad said the government's shambolic approach to allowing potato imports from South Australia continues to put the industry at risk.
"The government's decision to allow imports was taken without consultation with Tasmania's potato producers and demonstrated a disturbing lack of understanding of the importance of the state's disease-free status.
"That means putting at risk the jobs of farmers, packers and processors, and the viability of the industry.
"Labor flagged new strains of Potato Virus Y as a serious risk to the industry, which Biosecurity Tasmania hadn't even considered when it approved these imports.
"Now a review of the import decision puts in place one risk management strategy requiring South Australian potatoes to be grown from certified seed. That should have been a fundamental requirement prior to the import decision being taken, not an afterthought.
"And Guy Barnett's response to the review is laughable. A label on a bag of interstate potatoes saying "do not plant" is potentially the only thing standing in the way of the decimation of Tasmania's $400 million potato industry.
"The industry continues to hold serious concerns about the risks posed by these imports. And Guy Barnett has clearly learned no lessons from fruit fly and blueberry rust outbreaks in this state.
"So much for the Minister's rhetoric of putting Tasmania first."
Shane Broad
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries
