Fed: ALP took money from Filipino banana importer: Anthony

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2001
Fed: ALP took money from Filipino banana importer: Anthony

Community Services Minister LARRY ANTHONY says the Labor Party must explain a donation
from a company set to import Filipino bananas.

Mr ANTHONY says the NSW Labor Party received a $25,000 donation from The Food Terminal
-- a subsidiary of the Filipino government's National Food Authority.

He says farmers are campaigning against Filipino banana imports while the Labor Party
is taking money from a possible competitor.

He says Country Labor has cried long and loud about banana imports, yet it's been quiet
about its city masters taking money from Filipino fruit importers.

Biosecurity Australia, the nation's quarantine watchdog, is about to begin an import
risk analysis on Filipino bananas.

Australian banana producers oppose any Filipino banana imports, claiming they lead
to the introduction of a series of diseases not present in local plantations.

Mr ANTHONY, whose NSW north coast seat covers many banana growers, says the Labor Party
should explain how it can take money from a fruit importer that may be putting Australian
banana producers at risk.

AAP RTV sw/daw/hn/km

KEYWORD: BANANAS (CANBERRA)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.