The Nationals’ Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, is insisting that the Minister for Agriculture funds the Fruit Fly Program across the Goulburn Murray Valley (GMV) in the 2025-26 Victorian Budget.
Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) numbers have been managed successfully under an Area Wide Management Program for the GMV since the introduction of funding in 2017/18.
The investment paid dividends immediately with a 95 per cent reduction in QFF numbers however, continuous cuts to funding have drastically reduced the original 409 monitoring traps to a mere 200.
Mr McCurdy, who recently spoke to the Minister for Agriculture, expressed his concerns about the program’s future.
“It is concerning that there is no certainty regarding future funding for the AWM program beyond June this year, and as a result, no guarantee that the program will continue,” Mr McCurdy said.
In response to questioning the Minister stated:
“The purpose of the Victorian Fruit Fly Program was to support transition as industries and communities learn to live with and manage QFF.”
“Suspending funding will in no way help protect the level of risk QFF poses to fruit growers. Ongoing funding is vital to suppressing numbers and backing our fruit growers,” Mr McCurdy said.
“We’ve recently seen the tragic situation at Katunga Fresh which just goes to show how vulnerable the horticulture industry is to pests and viruses.
We know the current program works and the modelling we’ve seen indicates QFF numbers could increase by 600 per cent without a properly funded Fruit Fly Program.
“Managing QFF requires constant vigilance, and the Minister needs to understand the significant impact cutting funding will have on our fruit growers who will face incredible cost and wastage.”
“Fruit growers have raised with great concern the damage QFF will cause if it’s allowed to spread without adequate controls.”
“Horticulture is worth $1.6 billion across the Goulburn Murray Valley and jobs are also on the line if QFF spreads without control.
“It is imperative that the Minister gives the appropriate consideration to the dire outcomes our fruit growers will face, should they continue to disregard the importance of funding this program,” Mr McCurdy said.
“The inclusion of funding in the upcoming budget is essential to the survival of this industry.
“The Allan Labor Government must act to protect our region and provide the security our local fruit growers desperately need.”