The fruit fly outbreak is a damning indictment on the Government's systematic destruction of border security with the Minister in charge, Nathan Guy, now officially the 'Minister for Fruit Flies'.
This is the fifth time flies have got across the border under National.
But this latest scare is much worse – four flies discovered, the first time a breeding population has set up shop in New Zealand.
It is no coincidence this has coincided with major cuts and changes to border controls.
You can't even call this an accident waiting to happen – the cuts made it inevitable.
Now the $6 billion fruit and vegetable industry is at risk and the Government is squarely to blame.
And here's a big worry. As Minister of Primary Industries, Nathan Guy is the last line of defence. This is the man who oversaw a chaotic response to meat being blocked by the Chinese at the border, and don't forget shambles that was the Fonterra Botulism false alarm.
Since National's 2008 victory, the Government's quietly stripped back the biosecurity system.
1. In October 2011, the Government introduced a "direct exit path". That means millions of Australian and New Zealand passengers deemed to be low risk, walk straight out without any x-raying of their baggage.
2. In 2012, 3 News obtained documents under the Official Information Act revealing frontline biosecurity staff numbers had been cut from 295 to 270 since National came to office. The equation is simple, not as many x-rays = not as many staff needed.
3. Later that year, biosecurity inspectors spoke out about the real risks around new direct exit path, with one warning, "I think sooner or later there's going to be a serious outbreak of disease or pest in the country that could have been avoided if people were x-rayed at the border."
4. 3 News also requested audits, to see if the new direct exit system was passing its own internal tests. Some were not, meaning too many risk items were getting through.
5.Our investigation also uncovered a huge decrease in the number of furniture removal containers being inspected as they enter New Zealand. Between 2009 and 2012 the number of containers being looked at by inspectors went from around 50 percent to just 24 percent – and look at the creepy crawlies we found in one which wasn't inspected.
In short, the Government's stripped back biosecurity measures to help speed up business and passengers. I understand that, but it's gone too far. If a fruit fly population has spread beyond where it was found in Auckland’s Grey Lynn, it could be game over for our fruit and vegetable exports.
source: newshub archive
