New Zealand growers are putting the Australian government on notice.

Angry producers sent representatives to Australia this week to tell the country’s government it has three months to rule on export access - or face embarrassment on the world stage.

Australian Access Action Group (AAAG) representatives, Rupert Ryan and Dermott Malley, flew to Canberra to put the ulimatum.

They said the Australian apple Industry had mounted a huge charade over the threat of a disease coming from New Zealand apples which had already been in Australia.

Producers in Australia growers claim fireblight would be the end of their industry but NZ growers claim fireblight was found both in Victoria and south Australia and did not wipe out the industry or cost hundred of millions of dollars.

While in Canberra, Ryan and Malley will hand over AAAG’s submission to Biosecurity Australia on its draft Import Risk Analysis, which sets out rules for importing New Zealand apples

Ryan said the draft is again full of unjustifiable restrictions and New Zealand growers are angry at the constant delays and stalling tactics.

“The trade ban has been for 85 years and this latest process round has dragged on since 1980. Even now the Australians have given no deadline for the length of the time it will take to examine submissions and then to release the final IRA.”

Ryan said the message is clear - Australia is on notice - it has three months to deliver the final IRA.

“If not, we will go to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) where Australia will be exposed for its double standards on free trade,” he said.

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