DPI&F Biosecurity Queensland

Equine Influenza Update

Update No. 37 Friday 7 March 2008

Mission accomplished for EI Crisis Committee

In October last year, the Queensland Performance and Pleasure Horse Crisis Committee was formed to assist in the engagement between the Queensland Government and this sector of the industry.

At the beginning of the EI crisis, this sector needed a mechanism to work with the government and provide detailed and informed advice on the impacts of the disease.

An urgent and effective response was required, and planning for the industry's recovery was recognised as one of the greatest challenges with no certainty about timeframes or the eventual outcome of the eradication program.

With more than 100 disparate representative associations and clubs in the affected area, these groups and the government recognised the need for effective channels through which stakeholders could be rapidly and efficiently engaged.

With government support, these industry groups elected representatives to serve on the Queensland Performance and Pleasure Horse Industry Crisis Committee to provide the government with advice and direction.

Representation was drawn from industry groups including the Queensland Horse Council, the Equestrian Federation of Australia (Queensland), the Pony Club Association of Queensland and other organisations with particular skills and knowledge of the industry.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Deputy Director-General Rob Setter said the members of the committee have worked tirelessly for their industry throughout the crisis, and now, with the success of the eradication program and the beginning of normal activities, the work of this committee was complete.

"As individuals, and as a team, they have done an excellent job of providing the government with sound and practical advice, and played a critical role in ensuring that their organisations and members were informed of developments during the battle against EI," he said.

"Their commitment is reflected in the success of the program - no new cases of EI have been uncovered since 25 December 2007, signalling the effectiveness of the strategies delivered by the government, the horse industries and the community.

"On behalf of the State Government and the Department, I wish to thank the Crisis Committee for its effort and wish each and every member success in their future endeavours," said Mr Setter.

Horse sales resume

Eight well-bred thoroughbred mares that were seized for animal welfare reasons prior to the EI outbreak will be sold by auction in Warwick on 20 March 2008, starting at 10am.

This sale demonstrates the Government's confidence that eradication of the EI virus is on track and is the first sale conducted by the Government since the outbreak of EI last August.

Details of the auction are available from the selling agent, David McIvor, at McDougall & Sons P/L, 76 Fitzroy Street, Warwick 4370, Ph. 4661 1411.

The eight mares to be sold include:

• Love to Win, Chestnut, YOB 2000. Dam - Masatola, Sire - General Nediym.
• Embassies (AUS), Brown bay, YOB 1999. Dam - Audley Street (NZ), Sire - Quest For Fame (GB).
• Unnamed, Chestnut, YOB 2002. Dam - French Tide (Can), Sire - Flying Spur.
• Exotic Show (AUS), Bay, YOB 1993. Dam - Hussar's Show (AUS), Sire - Bluebird (USA). Currently under veterinary treatment for a wire cut to the near fore fetlock.
• Doc's Daughter, Bay, YOB 1994. Dam - La Prudence (AUS), Sire - Dr Grace (NZ).
• Afara's Diamond, Chestnut, YOB 1992. Dam - Afara's Profit, Sire - Meadowlake.
• Miss Tiramisu, Chestnut, YOB 1995. Dam - Vain Lyric, Sire - Naturalism.
• Mega Belle, Bay, YOB 1989. Dam - Belle Papillon, Sire - Atropine.

Energex says meter reading procedures back to normal

Reading of electricity meters in south east Queensland, which has been restricted during the EI outbreak, returned to normal this week.

Since the start of the outbreak, Energex and contractors have worked closely with the DPI&F to develop a range of processes which have changed the way capital works and maintenance, meter reading and emergency response were conducted in infected areas.

Energex's EI Project Team Leader Dayle Grant said the company had adopted a cautious approach to a range of work practices in a bid to reduce the chance that the company's crews and contractors could inadvertently spread EI.

Ms Grant said that as a result of this cautious approach a number of services have been restricted in some areas of the south east Queensland electricity network.

"The company has expended significant amounts of money developing decontamination procedures (including supply and contracts for cleaning vehicles and other field equipment), work manuals and new data base information," she said.

Meter readers have not been able to enter some properties and as a result data from historical power use has been used to estimate the electricity use which in turn retailers use to calculate accounts.

In a vast majority of cases these readings are extremely close - being slighter lower or higher - to the actual readings.

With meter reading services now able to resume fully, and actual readings carried out, customer accounts will be adjusted to reflect the exact power use.

Free business sustainability workshops ending soon

Equine industry members and business operators have until the end of March to benefit from a series of free business sustainability workshops that will improve their capacity to manage unforeseen events.

The Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry has developed the workshops to assist members of the equine industry who are located in the former red and amber zones.

Equine industry suppliers who are located within the zones are also welcome to attend the workshops.

The workshops cover a range of useful business information such as business continuity, risk and crisis management, and recovery planning.

They are being held in eight locations around South East Queensland.

To register or obtain more information, contact the department's Business Hotline on 1300 363 71.

While every care has been taken in preparing this eNewsletter, the State of Queensland accepts no responsibility for decisions or actions taken as a result of any data, information, statement or advice, expressed or implied, contained in this eNewsletter.