Wear yellow on Friday and show your support for the local banana industry.

"The agency [Biosecurity] on Tuesday announced a quarantine policy had been determined for the importing of bananas from the Philippines.

The policy will be used to assess import applications for bananas from the Philippines.

"These measures are designed to limit quarantine risk to a level that is acceptably low in order to achieve Australia's appropriate level of protection," Biosecurity Australia said in a statement."
[ from www.freshplaza.com ]

LIMIT quarantine risk?

There is a risk. And as everyone is pointing out, the risk is not just to the local banana.

"There are fears the decision could pose a significant threat to the region's $350 million banana industry and undermine more than 6000 jobs"
[ www.cairns.com.au ]

Everyone in the Far North will feel the effect if imported bananas infect local nanas with a couple of foreign bugs. And there's a few...

"The main diseases and pests of quarantine concern are Moko, black Sigatoka, Freckle, Mealybugs, Armoured scales, Spider mites and Thrips."
[ www.daff.gov.au ]

Everyone in the Far North will feel the effect. And today I realised, while driving to work, that that includes me. With all the talk of recession I've been feeling quite comfortable in my job as a teacher at a school run by the state government. But... if people can't find work, I think a few might up sticks and go to where work is. Up sticks, up school-going kids, and leave town.

And when kids start leaving rural schools, the small schools get even smaller and fewer teachers are required.

So help us all keep our jobs and wear yellow on Friday!