A workshop was held in Nov. 1999 on the possible introduction of bumblebees
into Australia. Web site is:

http://www.tmag.tas.gov.au/workshop/proceedings.html

It includes a good review of literature (by Roger Buttermore) regarding the
introduction of honey bees to Australia. Buttermore cites a new report, still
in preparation on honey bees in Australia:

   "There is a report in preparation for World Wide Fund for Nature
(Australia) by Mike Schwarz, Caroline Gross, Penny Kukuk & D. Hobbs: "An
Assessment of Competition Between Honeybees & Australian Native Bees". They
conclude:

   "Our results do not provide clear cut evidence for negative impacts of
honeybees on the native bee Exoneura bicolor. However, our findings include a
variety of results that strongly suggest that honeybees do have an impact on
the ecology of native allodapine bees. This raises the question of whether
the ‘positive’ effects detected by our study might have negative consequences
for natural ecosystems, or whether only ‘beneficial’ or neutral effects
arise. This question has not been raised by previous studies of honeybees in
Australia ecosystems...
   "…Consequently, we recommend that in areas where ecosystems are to be
conserved in pristine states honeybees should be excluded. However, in
ecosystems where perturbations are regarded as permissible (e.g.. forests
which are used for timber harvesting or which have a low conservation status)
then there may be a lesser case for excluding honeybees."

On the possibility of bumblebees as vectors for diseases of honey bees:
   "Kevan & Laverty (1990) warned about the possibility of spreading Varroa
mites (a serious pest of honeybees) by other insects, including bumblebees,
although it is not thought to be a critical problem according to Chris
Plowright. One virus has been linked to both honeybees and bumblebees. This
is linked to the Varroa mite Barbara Ball, (Rothamstead Experimental Station
pers. comm.) and causes acute paralysis syndrome of queens (Bailey & Ball,
1994)."

Concerns of Australian beekeepers, as stated by a representative of the
Australian Honey Bee Industry Council:
   "Our major initial concern is the possible introduction of Braula coeca
from Tasmania to mainland Australia. Braula coeca is a wingless fly, which
lives and multiplies in honey bee colonies. It would have to be demonstrated
clearly that Braula could not live and travel in a bumble bee colony; or
conversely, if Braula could live in a bumble bee colony, that a system would
be put into place to completely eliminate Braula from these colonies."

Tasmanian beekeeper's concerns include:
   "Pathogen introduction: This should be carefully checked out. The
Tasmanian Bee Industry is currently strenuously working with mainland
Australia to prevent the introduction of Varroa and Acarine mites from
overseas. Any introduction of B. terrestris must be checked as to its freedom
from these parasites."