The government has announced an $800,000 fund through its Primary Growth Partnership to help grow the medicinal Manuka honey industry. But the Labour Party says the money would have been far better spent on biosecurity.

Labour biosecurity spokesman, Damien O’Connor, says that while any support would be appreciated by the struggling bee industry, the government has spent its money unwisely.

“They I’m sure collectively would rather have money upfront  for better biosecurity standards to protect them from possible incursions from Australia – the Asian bee, there’s still a lot of work to be done on colony collapse, and whether in fact we are facing that here already. Those I think are the priorities for the industry.”

Mr O’Connor says the Growth Partnership Programme is frequently being used to prop up established industry players and markets rather than funding truly innovative science and research.

“I think there have been a number of grants given out under PGP to traditional structures and to some of the existing industry players, and there’s no guarantee that money will be used for real growth and real progress in the primary sectors.

“It’s been as much about capital for existing research or capital for existing work happening within some businesses across the sector.

“I’m a little disappointed at the way the PGP fund has been managed and that’s why we’ll have a close look at it to see if that money can be better spent.”