Page 1888 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 5 May 2009
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equine influenza outbreak of 2007. And we know that the equine influenza outbreak cost the ACT and Australia in general millions upon millions of dollars, not to mention the stress and distress it caused animals and humans alike in the equine industry and in the equestrian community.
The purpose of this bill is to clarify operational aspects of the ACT and to facilitate improved management of future outbreaks of animal diseases in the ACT. As noted in the explanatory memorandum to this bill, its main elements are to make it clear that the purpose of the act is to protect the health and welfare of animals and humans and animal-related industries; change the title of the Director of Veterinary Hygiene to Chief Veterinary Officer, in line with other jurisdictions; allow for the effective secondment of public servants from other jurisdictions during animal disease outbreaks; clarify the power to issue directions under the principal act to control the spread of exotic or endemic diseases; clarify that restrictions associated with quarantine can also include a system of authorisations to relax restrictions on a case-by-case basis; clarify that vehicles may be inspected on public roads at any time; and clarify that sharing of information across jurisdictions is permitted, notwithstanding the Privacy Act.
Mrs Dunne wrote to over 28 equine industry organisations and community groups and other bodies, inviting them to comment on the government’s bill. One of the groups told her that the equine influenza outbreak of 2007 had a devastating effect on them. They had to cancel an international event that attracts over 200 horses to the ACT. Such effect also affects other industries such as the tourism and hospitality industries; so any event like the 2007 outbreak reaches far into other sectors of business in our community. So it is in the interests of the community at large that we should do everything we can to streamline management processes and empower professionals to deal with situations like the 2007 equine influenza outbreak as and when they arise.
It is a pity that this government did not take a similar approach to the recommendations of the various reviews and inquiries into the 2001 and 2003 bushfires in the ACT. Indeed, digressing for just a sentence, I am in a state of deja vu when I hear the stories that are coming out of the royal commission in Victoria.
All of the groups who responded to Mrs Dunne’s invitation to comment on this bill told her that they supported improvements to the legislation. One of them recognised that it only takes a single act of selfishness to undo the work and cooperation of everyone else in the community in events such as the 2007 outbreak. They said, “Hopefully these amendments will make the business of managing similar outbreaks easier in the best interests of all of us.” I can only agree with those views.
Accordingly, the opposition is happy to support this bill. I hope that, if a similar event occurs in the future, these provisions will strengthen even further what appeared to be a well-controlled and successfully managed but potentially disastrous outbreak in 2007.
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo) (11.58): The Animal Diseases Amendment Bill makes a series of amendments to the Animal Diseases Act to clarify its operation and to add a small number of new powers. These amendments should improve the ability
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