South Australia’s largest fruit fly outbreak in decade went undiscovered while inspectors went on holiday
SOUTH Australia’s largest fruit fly outbreak in a decade may have gone undiscovered for months because traps were not inspected due to holidays and a lack of resources.
SOUTH Australia’s largest fruit fly outbreak – which cost $1.5 million to eradicate – in more than a decade may have gone undiscovered for “months”, TheAdvertiser can reveal.
An investigation into the Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak in Clarence Park found traps were not inspected in January due to public holidays and a lack of resources.
The redacted report, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, said it was one of two times they were not serviced for an entire month, despite there being a high risk of fruit-fly activity.
The outbreak was declared following the detection of larvae in homegrown peaches in late February, prompting an immediate quarantine zone to stop any threat to SA’s fruit-fly free status.
“It is reasonable to assume they (fruit flies) had been in the area for a significant period of time, possibly months, prior to the first detection in a permanent trap,” the report stated.
The investigation was to determine how the outbreak occurred and how Biosecruity SA could use its “limited resource base” more efficiently.
The report raised concerns on why flies were not detected when wicks were replaced in traps on February 12, flies were found to be “widespread” in traps 1.7km apart on February 26.
“The lack of detections in permanent traps during mid-to-late 2015 and prior to February 12 wick recharges is of significant concern and requires further investigation,” the report stated.
A 7.5km suspension zone around Clarence Park was extended six times after subsequent detections and it is expected to be lifted in late December.
Nearly $1.5 million was spent to rid the area of fruit-flies, including the use of more than 49,000 litres of bait, according to a ministerial briefing.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries David Ridgway said the “scathing” report had highlighted the State Government’s budgetary constraints to adequately maintain fruit-fly traps.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that permanent fruit fly traps were not checked for the whole month of January this year – the month before the worst fruit-fly outbreak in South Australia in 14 years,” Mr Ridgway said.
“The Government has redacted significant portions of this report citing the public interest, including the number of fruit flies detected and the investigation into green waste movement and rail.
“I think the public have a right to know how the Government failed to detect fruit flies that the report suggests had been there for months and the full extent of the outbreak.”
“If the Government is serious about establishing the Adelaide Hills as a Pest Free Area then they must ensure Biosecurity SA has adequate resources to prevent fruit fly outbreaks.”
This year’s outbreak of Mediterranean fruit-fly was the largest outbreak to occur in 14 years.
The 24 hour fruit fly hotline is 1300 666 010.