No crunching NZ apples this weekend

Relevant offers

Politics

Treaty obligations to stay in SOE sales law McCully email thief could be Kiwi PSA disappointed Key won't discuss cuts Delays in privatising ACC work account No background checks on Education ministry staff Labour fears for Kiwis in ministry shake-up Defence staff eye leaving as morale falls No run on Kiwi farms - Key Crown account deficit soars Maori Party warns Government over SOE sales

OPINION: Is Prime Minister Julia Gillard dragging her heels on making good her bet with John Key over the Rugby World Cup?

If she hasn't done so already, this weekend might be the perfect opportunity for Ms Gillard to sink her teeth into a crunchy New Zealand apple – the price of losing her bet with Mr Key that the Wallabies would beat the All Blacks in the semifinal.

Mr Key and senior ministers are travelling to Melbourne for a joint Cabinet meeting tomorrow in a gesture of trans-Tasman solidarity. He and wife Bronagh will dine with Ms Gillard and partner Tim Mathieson before joining them in the President's Box for the women's final at the Australian Open tennis.

But questions to Australian officials on whether Ms Gillard had already made good her bet with Mr Key, or planned to do so this weekend, were met with silence this week. New Zealand officials were equally in the dark.

And when asked if he knew, Mr Key awkwardly brushed off the question before suggesting: "We won't be pushing on that issue."

The apple bet was symbolic of the 90-year war over Australia's refusal to let New Zealand apples across their border, a dispute settled by a World Trade Organisation case that Australia lost.

But the issue has flared up again after Tasmania refused to abide by the ruling and maintained its ban on New Zealand apples. Mr Key confirmed that the Tasmanian ban would be raised at the talks this weekend. Presumably that is why there is sensitivity around the apple bet.

The New Zealand Government spent millions of dollars proving the case for our apples to be allowed into Australia, after entry was blocked for decades on the grounds they would spread the apple tree disease fireblight.

Tasmania's refusal to allow New Zealand exports could spark retaliatory action. New Zealand pipfruit growers want the Government to seek enforcement action from the WTO.

- © Fairfax NZ News