A SENIOR federal beaurecrat has become involved in a political apple fight.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry secretary Conall O'Connell has chastised shadow agriculture minister John Cobb in a letter following a visit by Coalition MPs to New Zealand late last year.
The visit was to inspect orchards and find out how NZ growers intended to stop the apple disease fire blight from being transported to Australia.
DAFF officials were also on the trip, against the MPs' wishes. Coalition MPs, including Mr Cobb, later complained the officials had interfered as MPs inquired about orchard practices.
Dr O'Connell wrote to Mr Cobb, saying he hoped Mr Cobb had been misquoted.
"I have discussed with my officers the views attributed to you," he wrote. "I am satisfied that, contrary to those views, at no time did they behave in anything other than a wholly professional manner while in New Zealand, as would be expected of Australian officials."
Murray MP Sharman Stone, who was on the tour, said it was unusual for a department officer to write complaining about comment in the media.
"It is unusual for a letter to be written by officials to the shadow minister, but then the behaviour in NZ by Australian officials was also unusual," Ms Stone said.
"Concerns Mr Cobb had about the attitudes of the departmental officials with us were shared by me and other members of the delegation. The officials were asked to behave more appropriately during the delegation and not appear to be acting as apologists for the (decision to allow NZ apples into Australia)."
A DAFF spokesman said Dr O'Connell wrote because "comments attributed to Mr Cobb related to departmental officers and operational matters".
"At times, departmental secretaries correspond with members and senators and media outlets to correct the record," he said.
"Dr O'Connell assures Mr Cobb he has full confidence in the professionalism of departmental officers ... as part of the invited delegation to New Zealand."
