Audio-Text: Peter Godfrey and Selwyn Manning on Fruit flies+Cricket

Audio/Text Analysis: In this week’s Across The Ditch bulletin Peter Godfrey and Selwyn Manning discuss how the Queensland fruit fly has been discovered in Auckland; a Cricket World Cup update; and Greyhound racing dogs and live baiting. Item One: [caption id="attachment_1642" align="alignleft" width="300"] Peter Godfrey and Selwyn Manning.[/caption] Last week New Zealand was under attack from outer space, with a meteor exploding above Auckland and Northland. This week, Auckland has been invaded… by the Queensland fruit fly! The Government’s Ministry of Primary Industries has set a cordon around the inner city suburbs of Grey Lynn, Western Springs, Mt Albert and Kingsland in an attempt to prevent the insect spreading and establishing in the region. Residents have been told they must not take fruit or vegetables out of their zone. And those who live in close to the epicentre, where a male Queensland fruit fly was discovered, are prohibited from even taking fruit or vegetables off their section. The main concern is that a small but thriving colony of the fruit fly may have established here. The government ministry has stated that the insect is the most destructive to crops of all of Australia’s insects. Apparently it is a problem to crops from Queensland to NEW South Wales. Aucklanders will be hoping the fruit fly is isolated and able to be irradiated. Many will remember the early 2000s when the Painted Apple Moth was identified here. The government then used low-flying aircraft to mass spray the city and suburbs with a herbicide. The Painted Apple Moth was irradiated, but since then praying mantis and many other helpful inserts have all but disappeared. Like Australia, New Zealand takes its bio security seriously. Recently a traveller arrived at customs while hiding a plant up his sleeve. The plant was detected, destroyed, and the person was fined $3500.00. Issue Two: Cricket update. Like Australia, New Zealand blitzed their opponents in the opening game of the Cricket World Cup, beating Sri Lanka by 98 runs. On Tuesday however, the Kiwis were expected to easily beat Scotland, and while New Zealand won, the Scottish team really gave us a shaking. We eventually won by three wickets. And on Friday, New Zealand plays England in Wellington. Clearly Australia exposed an out of form English side. New Zealand obviously plans to do the same. NZ and England played seven times in 2013. England won four of those games, the Kiwis three. This week, the Kiwi team’s couch Mike Hesson told the NZ Herald: “They’ve obviously got a lot of quality players, some in form, some not… Their seam attack has got pace and bounce and a pretty good mix, and they bat deep. They’re a dangerous outfit.” So, if New Zealand wants to stay at the top of the score board with Australia, it will have to ensure England remains well beaten. ITEM THREE: Live baiting of racing Greyhounds. Should the industry be concerned in New Zealand? Recorded live on 19/02/15. Across The Ditch broadcasts live on FiveAA Australia and webcasts on LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>