Kiwifruit industry in New Zealand and Growers, who were calling the berries "melonettes", because the local name for the fruit, "Chinese gooseberry", had political connotations due to the Cold War, and to further distinguish it from real gooseberries, which are prone to a fungus called anthracnose. An American importer, Norman Sondag of San Francisco, complained that "melonettes" was as bad as "Chinese gooseberry" because melons and berries were both subject to high import tariffs, and instead asked for a short Maori name that quickly connoted New Zealand. In June 1959, during a meeting of Turners and Growers management in Auckland, Jack Turner suggested the name
Cora Gooseberry Cora Gooseberry Cora Gooseberry (also known as Queen Gooseberry and Lady Bongary; 1777 – 30 July 1852) was an Aboriginal Australian culture informant from the Murro-ore-dial people. In popular culture, she is often depicted smoking a pipe and wearing a scarf on her head. She received two breastplates, one of which was inscribed "Cora Gooseberry/ Freeman/ Bungaree / Queen of Sydney and Botany". It is held by the Mitchell Library. Cora Gooseberry was born Matora Gooseberry, her given Aboriginal Australian name, circa 1777. Cora Gooseberry was the daughter of Moorooboora (also known as Maroubra; circa 1758 to 1798), clan leader