Simpler Aussie horse quarantine measures still safe – minister

Quarantine processes proved the weak link that allow equine flu into Commonwealth of Australia inwards 2007, but authorities insist upcoming changes that volition inwards closed to cases shorten isolation periods volition non compromise biosecurity.

The Australian Government has approved a simpler physical care for for transporting horses to in addition to from Australia, which volition live on inwards house for the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.

Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon welcomed the streamlined Equus caballus import conditions, proverb the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries in addition to Forestry had determined that simplifying the quarantine physical care for tin back upwards the rubber import of horses.

“The scientific discipline shows that the risks posed to the Australian environs in addition to animals tin live on managed amongst the novel consistent process,” Fitzgibbon said.

“Up until straight off it was a fighting of a lottery the menses of fourth dimension horses spent inwards quarantine.

“After a thorough scientific review it’s been determined that horses involve solely remain inwards quarantine inwards Commonwealth of Australia for 2 weeks.

“The novel two-week dominion volition allow trainers in addition to owners to carry fit, salubrious in addition to disease-free horses amongst certainty.

“The consistent quarantine menses of 2 weeks straight off gives Equus caballus owners the capacity to compete inwards both the Melbourne Cup in addition to Europe’s most prestigious race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe,” he said.

“The novel rules volition too brand it easier for Australian-owned in addition to trained horses to come inwards in the large racing events on the basis stage.

“The Equus caballus manufacture in addition to regime conduct keep worked closely together on this. Streamlining the physical care for shows nosotros are listening in addition to supporting the industry.

“Of course, it’s non only thoroughbred racing that volition benefit, it’s the whole equine manufacture from harness in addition to trotter to breeders in addition to equestrian competitors,” Fitzgibbon said.

The alter relating to the menses of quarantine volition come upwards into upshot inwards fourth dimension for the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, acre other changes volition live on progressively introduced every bit shortly every bit possible.

The 2007 equine flu outbreak is estimated to conduct keep terms Commonwealth of Australia upwards to $A1 billion, both inwards costs of containment in addition to lost turn a profit inside the Equus caballus industry.

In 2008, a 343-page study yesteryear retired jurist Ian Callinan was released next a committee of inquiry. It included 38 recommendations for change, which the federal regime fix nearly implementing.

Callinan’s study outlined a litany of failings in addition to shortcomings inwards the functioning of the Australian Quarantine Inspection Services that, inwards his view, contributed to the escape of the virus from the Eastern Creek Quarantine Centre, nigh Sydney.

“What I pull bespeaks an organization that lacked clear lines of communication betwixt those responsible for formulating procedures in addition to piece of occupation instructions in addition to those responsible for implementing them,” he said.

The retired jurist said in that place was insufficient preparation in addition to pedagogy inwards relation to procedures in addition to instructions to live on followed, in addition to no checking to ensure that they were beingness implemented.

Nor, he said, did the agency conduct keep whatsoever trouble organization invention or other reporting scheme to warning senior management to these failures.

There was a lack of effective supervision in addition to monitoring of people entering in addition to leaving the station, which he described every bit understaffed.

He said the station was non adequately funded to enable it to properly discharge its quarantine management functions, in addition to the national programme was too inadequately funded, he said.

“There was evidence that, had a cogent example been made for additional funding, the regime would in all likelihood conduct keep provided it.”

He added that those who treated in addition to cared for the horses inwards Eastern Creek — peculiarly the grooms, individual veterinarians in addition to farriers — in addition to the import agents in addition to studs who employed or retained them, must conduct keep closed to responsibleness for the failure of quarantine.

“Their failure to decontaminate themselves in addition to their equipment contributed to the likely agency of the virus’s escape from Eastern Creek.”

Callinan flora that i of the 4 horses from Nippon received into Eastern Creek on August 8 – the stallion Snitzel – was likely to conduct keep been infected amongst equine influenza.

It was too possible that i or to a greater extent than of the other horses from Nippon that arrived inwards Sydney amongst Snitzel mightiness conduct keep been contaminated amongst the virus but non infected yesteryear it.

Callinin too flora that that closed to of the horses from Nippon received into Spotswood Quarantine Centre on August 8 every bit part of the same shipment were infected amongst the virus, but in that place was no evidence to advise the virus had escaped from there.

He said: “The most likely explanation for the virus’s escape from infected horses at Eastern Creek is that it did in addition to thus yesteryear agency of a contaminated somebody or equipment leaving the Quarantine Station.

“The contaminated somebody or persons or equipment are most likely to conduct keep been those associated amongst the tending of the horses acre inwards quarantine.

“Fundamental biosecurity measures were non beingness implemented inwards the largest government-operated creature quarantine station inwards Australia,” he said.

“This constituted a serious failure yesteryear those inside the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries in addition to Forestry in addition to AQIS, who were in addition to had been responsible for the management of quarantine risks and, inwards particular, the management of post-entry quarantine arrangements.”

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