Another high profile case of alleged spray drift in QLD occurred near Noosa where a fish hatchery attracted national media attention with stories of fish deformities following alleged spray drift from an adjacent macadamia farm. Investigations by a government task force and APVMA were inconclusive but did not show that spray drift was the source of the alleged deformities. As with some other states/ territories, QLD did not have a central single reporting or investigation centre for drift issues. Rather, issues were directed to different groups for attention (Biosecurity QLD, Workplace health and Safety, local Department of Environment and Resource Management office, local government authority, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, APVMA, health officials etc) depending on the nature of the complaint. State-level statistics and information are therefore not available in QLD. It is therefore recommended that a single data source be established in QLD.

Horticulture Risk Survey
Dr Andrew Hewitt
The University of Queensland
Project Number: AH11033

2014