REBECCA HARPER
A case for lifting the New Zealand apple ban in Australia will go to the World Trade Organisation, but growers are still frustrated it will be at least two years before apples actually cross the Tasman.
Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Peter Beaven said the case was an inevitable outcome
of the process so far. "We're pleased to be taking the next step, but frustrated it's still going to be years before we can actually get out apples into Australia," he said.
The WTO case would not be a "quick fix" and would take two to four years. Australia might then appeal the decision.
The government was confident the WTO would back its case for selling New Zealand apples in Australia, while across the Tasman they were just as sure the ban could be successfully defended.
The decision to take a case to the WTO was announced yesterday - the latest step in the 86-year "forbidden fruit" dispute.
Trade minister Phil Goff said science was on New Zealand's side. "We believe we will win this case."
Australian agriculture minister Peter McGauran was equally confident New Zealand's case would fail. "We have nothing to fear. We will most certainly defend our actions and our policy determination on the basis of science."
The science was around fireblight, and whether the disease could be carried to Australian trees by New Zealand apples.
New Zealand scientists had shown that clean, ripe fruit was unlikely to carry the bacteria that causes fireblight.
Australia recently agreed to accept New Zealand apples with tight quarantine restrictions, but delaying tactics had frustrated growers and it was now too late for next year's crop to be exported - even if remaining issues were resolved.
The United States won its case on the same issue against Japan in 2004, but its apples were still blocked by the appeals process.
This marked the first time New Zealand had taken a WTO case against its closest trading partner and neighbour.
Mr Beaven said the process had been "rife with political interference," and the only option left was to go to a third umpire.
"Our two governments are incapable of sorting it out. The Australians have refused to sign the management plan agreement because elections are coming up and they don't want to turn it into an election issue," he said.
