Australia's worst fruit pest breaches Western Australian border
It was confirmed last week that Australia's worst fruit pest, Qfly, has breached the border into Western Australia, ending the regions time as one of only three states able to declare itself free from Australia's most damaging fruit pest.  The outbreak is expected to have trade implications, say industry stakeholders, since the Qfly attacks over 200 varieties of produce, including chillies, tomatoes, strawberries, avocados, passion fruit and some vegetables.  Implications for trade with Australia's last remaining Qfly-free states, Tasmania and South Australia, are being assessed.  The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) says the Qfly seriously threatens Australia's $6.9bn horticultural industry, as it relies on both domestic and international trade.

The government has established a quarantine zone around eight Perth suburbs in an attempt to limit the damage of an outbreak of Queensland fruit fly that has ended WA's status as free from Australia's most damaging fruit pest.

Department staff found six male Qfly, now present in all other states except South Australia and Tasmania, in the Alfred Cove residential area between November 18 and 23 in surveillance traps, forcing it to evaluate the effect on trade if the spread is not controlled.

Residents of the southern Perth suburbs inside the quarantine zone faced fines for failing to comply with the restrictions on the movement of fruit and vegetables.

The Department of Agriculture and Food WA has from Tuesday imposed restrictions on the movement of all home-grown fruit and vegetables from inside the quarantine area of Alfred Cove, Ardross, Booragoon, Winthrop, Willagee, Myaree, Melville and Attadale.