Statements
Queensland fruit fly—Eradication
Ministerial statement
Hon Jackie Jarvis (Minister for Agriculture and Food) (1:06 pm): I am pleased to announce that Western Australia has successfully eradicated Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) thanks to the efforts of the government, community and industry working together. From today, WA has achieved area freedom from the destructive plant pest after an extensive eight-month eradication response in Perth's southern suburbs. Qfly was detected in the Willagee and Palmyra areas in November 2024 through routine monitoring of traps in WA's early warning surveillance network. The destructive fruit fly attacks more than 300 species of fruit and fruiting vegetables including avocados, chilli, tomato and capsicum. If Qfly were to become established in WA, it could limit access to the valuable $1.49 billion horticulture export and domestic markets and severely impact homegrown fruit and vegetables.
The state's area freedom has been reinstated just ahead of National Biosecurity Week, from 25 August to 31 August, which highlights the important role of the community in helping to protect Australia's primary industries, environment and way of life from harmful pests and diseases. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development undertook an extensive eradication response with the support of the Willagee and Palmyra and surrounding communities and Perth Markets to successfully eradicate Qfly.
More than 260 DPIRD officers and contract staff were employed at the height of the response, with over 100,000 hours worked by field staff. These staff visited more than 12,000 properties, deployed over 10,500 fruit fly lures and collected almost 600 samples of fruit for testing. The support of local residents and local governments was vital to the eradication success and stopping Qfly from spreading by regularly stripping and disposing of their homegrown fruit and not moving fruit or plant material out of the quarantine area.
I want to thank everyone involved in this response—DPIRD staff, local governments and particularly those residents across the quarantine area—for their enormous efforts while facing a number of quarantine restrictions. It ensured we could eradicate this pest as quickly as possible. I want to encourage the community to remain vigilant and if they spot any unusual animal or plant pests or diseases to report them immediately via the MyPestGuide Reporter app.
