Goff is right on border control

The Labour Party is to be praised for its latest policy announcement which - if it gets into government - will have a direct impact on this region.

When Phil Goff announced his party's biosecurity policy at a Te Puke orchard affected by Psa on Wednesday, he vowed to restore $2 million to frontline biosecurity services. National cut this funding in 2009.

There is no doubt the huge effects Psa has had on this region and the serious, long-term impact on the Bay has the potential to be a lot worse than that of the Rena disaster. And the real damage to the industry is only just starting to be seen as the green variety starts to flower.

Mr Goff says primary industries are increasingly vulnerable to pests and, unless they are assured of robust biosecurity protection, are unlikely to risk making large new investments.

These investments are vital to the Bay of Plenty economy.

Of the kiwifruit orchards in the country, 25 per cent are affected by Psa and most of those are in Te Puke and the surrounding areas.

Without government commitment to protect the industry - which accounts for about 20 per cent of the region's GDP - we risk not only losing orchardists but discouraging potential future growers from investing in our region.

Mr Goff says the cuts two years ago saw 54 biosecurity officers working in ports and airports around the country lose their jobs.

As trade and tourist numbers increase, this leaves our borders increasingly vulnerable and that is a risk this region - with the country's busiest port - cannot afford to take.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges defends the cuts, saying the majority of job losses were at the Port of Auckland after a decrease in car imports from Asia.

He says Labour's promise of $2 million is part of a much larger budget of $180 million.

But if that $2 million extra is enough to reassure the rest of the world that our borders are safe and our kiwifruit is still the best in the world, then we'll take it.

Biosecurity is too important to be making cuts.