I'm with Nick, I think.  The mere speculation of a link between Aussie 
imports and CCD leads me, first and foremost, to fear further 
unanticipated problems from imports from Chile, for example.  Global trade 
in general has enough problems.  Global trade in live organisms is even 
worse.  I say close the borders, especially to commercial imports, 
especially from Chile.

Here's a question for the list: if Australia had had small hive beetles 
prior to the arrival of small hive beetles in North America, and if small 
hive beetles hadn't been any worse for Australian beekepers than they are 
for South African beekeepers, would Australian imports still have been 
approved?  Being cynical as I am toward the system, I'm inclined to think 
yes.  How many hypothetical failures do we need to "realize," so to speak, 
before we learn our lesson?

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