1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Joining me on the line right now is Paul Burke, 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: the CEO of NT Farmers. Good morning to you, Paul. 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. How are you business? 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 1: Not too bad? Mate? I know that you are now 5 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: at the moment working with producers and stakeholders to prevent 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: the spreit op. Can you hear us all right there? 7 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 2: Paul? Yes, I can. You just dropped out there for 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 2: a second. 9 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: That's all right now. I know that you are working 10 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: pretty well furiously at the moment. After there was the 11 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: positive detection of banana freckle found on a rural residential 12 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: property in Bachelor a little bit earlier this week, tell 13 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: us what's happened. 14 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 2: So, yes, we had a very good member of the 15 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 2: public that is something that wasn't quite right with their 16 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: banana plant and took it into the Department of Primary 17 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 2: Industries or did it's called now and had some tests 18 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: done and unfortunately it's come back as banana freckle, which 19 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: is a real kicking the guts for a lot of 20 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 2: people that went through this through twenty thirty three to 21 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen. So it's a trying time for our banana 22 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 2: industry here in the Northern Territory. 23 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: So Paul to those out there who don't know exactly 24 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: what banana freckle is and why this is such an issue. 25 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 1: Why is it? 26 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 2: So it affects the leaves predominantly and the fruit and 27 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 2: it gets a blemish on the fruit. So whilst it's 28 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 2: the fruit's fine to eat and we encourage you around 29 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: to keep eating bananas, it does have a productivity issue 30 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 2: as well as it makes the fruit look not as 31 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: it should. 32 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: And so why is that then a concern? I suppose 33 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: if it's still good to eat, why is it such 34 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: a concern and why is the most recent detection of 35 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 1: banana freckle in the Bachelor area a worry. 36 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: So it means we can't take bananas across borders, so 37 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: across the interstate borders, so it means that whatever bananas 38 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: we produce here at the moment needs to stay in 39 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: the territory. So it has some implications around trade and 40 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: it certainly means that we couldn't export the bananas. So 41 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: for us, it's another challenging issue in that plant pest 42 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 2: space and it's something that we hoped we got rid 43 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: of in twenty nineteen. And all indications at the moment 44 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 2: is this looks like a new detection. So we were 45 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: clear of it in twenty nineteen, but it looks like 46 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: we're backfighting it again. 47 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: What are the steps now following on from this detection 48 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: earlier in the week, What are the steps now to 49 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: make sure or to ascertain whether it's contained. 50 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 2: So at the moment where we've got positive cases and 51 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,959 Speaker 2: we're working with a couple others that have potentially got 52 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: some suspect plant on their property, so there's movement restrictions 53 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: on those properties. The department currently, through their Bisecurity team, 54 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: are outdoing significant amount of surveillance in the area understand 55 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 2: how widespread it is. And we've sort up a high 56 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 2: level working group, a Banana Frequle Steering Committee group that's 57 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 2: got Banana Council and government officials and nursery and garden 58 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: and ourselves on it, and we'll make some decisions as 59 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 2: we get more information in both It's really early days 60 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: at this stage, so it's. 61 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: Still too early to tell how it's gotten back into 62 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 1: the Northern territory at this point, that's right. 63 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 2: We just don't have a handle on that yet, and 64 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 2: given it's only been two or three days, we probably 65 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: wouldn't expect to, but there'll be significantly more testing done. 66 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: There'll be molecular testing done, so we'll get a better 67 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 2: picture and a clearer picture over the coming two to 68 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: three weeks. 69 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: Paul talk us through when banana freckle, when we last 70 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: had it in the Northern Territory, how big an impact 71 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: or how damaging was it for the industry. 72 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 2: It literally wiped the industry out. So twenty thirteen we 73 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: had quite a strong industry here in the territory, but 74 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: it pretty well decimated the industry and it's never really recovered. 75 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: We've got some large commercial growers still, but I guess 76 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: for those larger growers, they had to start from ground zero. 77 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: So my heart goes out to them. And whilst we're 78 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: dealing with a plant pest at the moment, there is 79 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 2: a very strong human element in this as well, So 80 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: you know, it doesn't only affect the backyard grows. It 81 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 2: affects the commercial growers and as well as that, the 82 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: employees as well that would be thinking, well, you know 83 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: what am I going to do for a job now, 84 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: So it has some broader implications. 85 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 1: Mate, how are they feeling at the moment? I would understand, 86 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: you know, I would imagine that you've had a few discussions. 87 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: How is everybody feeling at the moment in the industry? 88 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 2: A little bit shell shocked, to be honest, And you know, 89 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: a lot of people were just starting to get on 90 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 2: the feet on their feet after the last incursion. It 91 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 2: took a long time to get back to trade. And 92 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 2: for those guys, it really is heart wrenching and they're 93 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 2: doing it really tough. The one thing that all the 94 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: people that are listening today can do is gone by 95 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 2: an extra kuilo bananas this week. Most of the bananas 96 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 2: that you're buying the main supermarkets here and around the 97 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 2: markets are all produced here in the territory. Mate. 98 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: I love my bananas. I have them every single morning. 99 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,679 Speaker 1: So I am you know, I am somebody who's thinking, 100 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: g I feel for the industry at this point. They 101 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: must be feeling pretty nervous hoping that this is contained. 102 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: And you know, at the end of the day, our 103 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: exports all around the country and around other parts of 104 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: the world are such a huge part of the Northern Territory. 105 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: We rely so heavily on our farmers no matter what, 106 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: you know, what's crop we're talking about. But I really 107 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: hope that you know that we've got this thing under control, 108 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: or that we are able to keep it under control 109 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: so that it doesn't impact. 110 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 2: Them, And it's certainly really important from our imj OViSS 111 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 2: Australia is very much the clean green image and we 112 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 2: fight really hard. We've got world's best practice in biosecurity, 113 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: so we are very conscious that we need to protect 114 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 2: our image for all of those markets and all of 115 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,239 Speaker 2: those other products. So you know, we've got to continue 116 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 2: to invest in biosecurity and you know the next outbreaks 117 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:10,919 Speaker 2: only a moment away. 118 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: Well, it's always good to catch up with you, Paul. 119 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: I wish it was under better circumstances. Keep us under 120 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: We'll keep us up to date and let us know 121 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: how things are tracking along. But yeah, we're certainly thinking 122 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: of you all and hoping that this is not going 123 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: to end up like it did those years ago. 124 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie. And for any of the listeners out there 125 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 2: that have bananas, please keep an eye on them, give 126 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 2: them a little bit of extra love and care, and 127 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 2: if they don't look right, please report them to the 128 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 2: Plant Health Plant Health helpline. Yeah, and I. 129 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 1: Have got that number here, so I'll read that out 130 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: for our listeners in a couple of moments, Paul Burke, 131 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: the CEO of NT Farmers, thanks for your time this morning. 132 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, thank you.