Media Release

Speaking from Charters Towers KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter today said that there was no need for alarm following the identification of Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus on a watermelon farm near Charters Towers but supported State Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth’s calls for the re-opening of a bio-security unit in Townsville.

Watermelons are widely grown in North Queensland and the industry is worth approximately $100 million per year to the Queensland economy.

Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus has the potential to spread to other crops including cucumbers, zucchinis, pumpkins and squash, but Mr Katter said the advice received today is that it is a contained incident.

“We’ve been told that there is only one incident and it should be relatively easy to contain it and eradicate it,” Mr Katter said.

“There are no other farms in the vicinity of this farm and the mode of transfer of the pathogens does not lend itself to carrying easily.

“However, we still want to see complete eradication and destruction of weeds in the vicinity of the infected plants.

“And once again it is another case screaming out for a national disease insurance policy,” Mr Katter said.

State Member for Dalrymple, Shane Knuth, said that the outbreak was further proof of the need to re-open the bio-security unit in Townsville which was closed under the Newman LNP Government.

“The continued outbreak of exotic diseases in North Queensland confirms the need to re-open the bio-security unit in Townsville.

“This would mean better surveillance and bio-security officers on the ground that are accessible and already working with the agricultural and beef industry.

“It would also mean a return of jobs that were lost as a result of the closure.”

Mr Knuth also said that he was relieved that other farmers had not been affected at this stage.

“Many farmers are concerned at this outbreak, but we’re very pleased at this present moment that there are no restrictions on any other farms in the region,” Mr Knuth said.

Both Members’ electorates include Charters Towers and both Mr Knuth and Mr Katter reside in the Charters Towers region.