Bio-Security Fail White Spot Outbreak Bob Katter "White spot is a devastating disease in prawns and there is only one way it could have got here – through imported prawn product. All other ‘smart’ countries won’t import seafood from a country that has white spot. But we have some of the lowest quarantine protections in the world. Quite frankly I can’t think of anything that has been stopped from coming in. Out of probably 100 horticultural applications, all have been agreed too, similarly with seafood. Australia has for some time been a net importer of seafood. We pleaded with the authorities to refuse the application to bring in imported prawns. They brought in prawns. Now we have white spot." http://www.agriculture.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/animal-plant/aquatic/aquavetplan/white-spot.pdf Bee Security Importing MILLIONS of Kg of honey, Chinese pollen , queenbees, drone sperm increases risk of bee disease and Australia's pristine reputation. Endemic disease and pests like American Foul Brood, European Foul Brood, Chalk brood , Small hive beetle and new pests and diseases they bring like varroa mite carrying deformed Wing Virus (DWV). http://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1004230 ) http://aem.asm.org/content/75/22/7212.full http://articles.extension.org/pages/71172/honey-bee-viruses-the-deadly-varroa-mite-associates The Australian honeybee industry is concerned pests will get past Australia's border surveillance, saying the situation is like a game of soccer without a goalie. "In the end, if you get past that, what's your next line?" Honeybee Council chief executive Trevor Weatherhead asked. The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources has heard the industry wants hundreds more detection traps, despite the $1,000 price tag. "We have 20 in Australia but only in Queensland," Honeybee Industry Council chairman Lindsay Bourke said. Honey products are worth $90 million per year, and pollination services are worth between $620 million and $1 billion a year. Ben McKee CEO Capilano Honey "we need movement restrictions areas around major ports in Australia" Jeffery Gibbs Northern Light Beeswax Candles "we need movement restrictions around major ports in Australia " Ben Moore Ben's Bees "we need movement restrictions around major ports in Australia Trevor Weatherhead AHBIC " it's a good idea to have movement restrictions around ports in Australia but you will never get state governments to agree on the legislation " The movement restrictions would be similar to the ones presently applied in Townsville. The restricted zone was first put in place after varroa mites were found on Asian honey bees at the Port of Townsville in June. Jodie Goldsworthy CEO Beechworth honey " It was wrong that the Government allowed the Asian bees to take a foothold in Cairns" The Cairns experience showed that once IN, it is impossible to send it back.. Asian (Cerana) Bees are now an accepted pest in Nth qld. The Townsville experience, has shown that once an introduced species is IN, you then have the vector for that specie's diseases and pests (Varroa Jacobsoni) that can prove impossible to control, let alone detect. If anyone ever finds a varroa in Australia please let biosecruity and direct message this page immediately. 1800 900 090 Sharing and cooperation will savethebees . http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-25/honeybee-industry-concerned-about-varroa-mite/8054336?pfmredir=sm