[Mr Speciosum]

Quite right fred, it will only get tighter! Quarantine Tas is supposed to be reviewing Import Regulation 19 i.e. Western Flower Thrip either this April or May and I've heard that ALL plants mentioned in IR19 (includes orchids) entering the state will be quarantined in the State and treated with pesticides, negating the need to get prior inspection and certification by the Dept of Primary Industry in the State of origin. This takes away the chance of any foul-up by the other States. Just recently they have hired 27 new Inspection Officers but I'm not sure when they will come online. The new system will also be 'user pays' so you can nearly guarantee the cost of importing plants from the mainland will just about double!

For a look to the future of Tas, just look what they did to Western Australia from April 1st this month. Although, having said that, the system still relies on the States to regulate. Nurseries now have to get certified to export intrastate at a cost of $800- I'm told, plus they now have to triple dip plants in three different chemicals....more cost to the nurseries. And you thought Methyl Bromide was tough on orchids! (yes, I know I'm not supposed to start a sentence with 'and', but hey...isn't this the new millenium?)