Richard Stewart wrote:
> but why not the  importing of bees when we have plenty of American 
> beekeepers willing  to do the job?

Down Under we are fed what we call "Furphies" by whatever government is in 
power. Federal or State, Liberal or Labour.
If we want to forbid importation of honey, hogs or herefords we need first 
to prove that the exporting country has a disease that we do not have. This 
means of course, that all yet to be discovered diseases are given free and 
permanent residence.
I would have thought we were the only country to have a "innocent to proven 
guilty" philosophy for non-human organisms. Obviously not.
Seemingly a Green Card is given to all undiscovered Oz-organisms that just 
happen accompany our packages of bees.

Bob Buntine
Avenel Honey Farm
Avenel
Victoria
Oz 

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