The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Hawke's Bay's defences against fruit fly commended by biosecurity minister

By Laura Wiltshire
Hawkes Bay Today·
27 Feb, 2019 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Biosecurity Minnister Damien O'Connor says biosecurity breaches are always a threat, but Hawke's Bay is well protected. Photo / Paul Taylor

Biosecurity Minnister Damien O'Connor says biosecurity breaches are always a threat, but Hawke's Bay is well protected. Photo / Paul Taylor

Biosecurity Minister Damien O'Connor says Hawke's Bay is well protected from the ongoing possibility of a fruit fly outbreak.

O'Connor was in the region on Tuesday, not long after a biosecurity breach in Auckland, where three Queensland fruit flies were found on the city's North Shore.

"I think there's about 194 traps here," he told Hawke's Bay Today.

He said Hawke's Bay's horticulture industry had strong plans in place if something similar were to happen in the region.

"There's a government industry agreement with Apples and Pears, with most of the horticulture sector, so there is active engagement and planning."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However he said there was always a risk of biosecurity breaches at the border, including at Napier Port.

"Wherever you have access from foreign vessels or containers, people are bring goods into Hawke's Bay all the time, there's a threat here."

He said everyone had a part to play in New Zealand's biosecurity.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Each and every one of us is responsible. Keep an eye out for something which might be unusual, make sure when moving around the regions, not just moving in and out of New Zealand, that we are careful not to inadvertently or consciously carry any bugs or any unwanted diseases."

As well as biosecurity, O'Connor is Rural Communities Minister, and discussed the worker shortage the horticultural industry is currently experiencing.

He told Hawke's Bay Today there needed to be more longer term planning done, which would allow the government to make better predictions around the number of Recognised Seasonal Employment workers needed each year.

"I'm sure we can improve the level of planning so it's not last minute declarations, such as we've seen now."

Discover more

New Zealand

Third Queensland fruit fly trapped in North Shore

25 Feb 12:35 AM

Loan for dam proposal for public consultation

27 Feb 11:28 PM

Gren Christie: Privatising the port is a mistake

03 Mar 05:57 PM
New Zealand

Flu strikes Hawke's Bay pickers

03 Mar 04:01 AM

He said fruit growers were concerned about the current situation.

"They have high quality fruit on trees and they want to pick it at the right time."

He said there needed to be flexibility on both sides of the discussion, with growers needing to plan for the long term better, but Government needing to understand horticulture was subject to the climatic influences.

During his visit to Hawke's Bay O'Connor spoke to growers at NZ Apples and Pears, visited a pack house, spoke to Hawke's Bay Regional Council and visited Napier Port.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Beekeeper advocacy group comes under pressure

The Country

The Country: Luxon on coalition friction

The Country

Man lost wife and daughter in Waiuku triple-fatal


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Beekeeper advocacy group comes under pressure
The Country

Beekeeper advocacy group comes under pressure

Rifts among industry groups, charities and agencies in the beekeeping industry.

16 Jul 03:00 AM
The Country: Luxon on coalition friction
The Country

The Country: Luxon on coalition friction

16 Jul 01:42 AM
Man lost wife and daughter in Waiuku triple-fatal
The Country

Man lost wife and daughter in Waiuku triple-fatal

16 Jul 12:37 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP