Media Release

11 May 2012

Australian fruit fly discovery concerns HBRC

The chairman of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Asset Management & Biosecurity Committee Kevin Rose says he is concerned about the discovery of a Queensland fruit fly in Auckland.

An urgent investigation is underway by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) after a single male Queensland fruit fly was found in a surveillance trap in Mt Roskill on Tuesday and was identified yesterday.

Kevin Rose says should the Queensland fruit fly become established in New Zealand it would have a major effect on the country’s fruit and vegetable export industry.

He says HBRC works closely with MPI and has existing agreements under the National Biosecurity Capability Network which allows for expert staff from HBRC to be available throughout New Zealand should the MPI require them.

Councillor Rose says at this stage it is a find of a single male fruit fly and MAF is working to establish if any additional fruit fly are present.

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