OAKESHOTT INDEPENDENT
OAKESHOTT CALLS FOR STATE INQUIRY INTO HORSE FLU OUTBREAK
Independent MP for Port Macquarie, Robert Oakeshott, today said one of the key issues for the return of Parliament this week will be an attempt to get bi-partisan support for a state-based inquiry into the horse flu outbreak.
"The Commonwealth Government are conducting their own independent inquiry into their agencies and where improvements can be made. This need for improvement is just as strong at a state level as well, Mr Oakeshott said.
"There are conflicting reports about advice provided by the Department of Primary Industries throughout the early stages of the flu outbreak. Of concern are examples such as the Narrabri campdraft advice by the Department, where owners were told it was OK to travel, yet horses from the infected Maitland area were in attendance at the campdraft, said Mr Oakeshott.
"This has subsequently led to outbreaks throughout many parts of regional NSW, including the Mid-North Coast, said Mr Oakeshott.
"Another question that needs to be asked is in regard the level of back-up provided to the Department of Primary Industries throughout this entire exercise. Feedback again has been that vets, owners and others have been frustrated by the lack of back-up support on the ground throughout this difficult past two months, said Mr Oakeshott.
"And a third point would be the general issue of communication strategies. Particularly in the early days of the flu outbreak, there looked to be a lot of conflicting messages to horse owners about what to do, and this deserves to be looked at in a sensible way so improvements can be made for the future, Mr Oakeshott said today.
"There is a very significant horse population in our local area, and they are a major contributor to our local economy. Making sure systems can be improved for the future, and making sure big lessons have been learnt from the past two months, is why a state-based inquiry is needed, and needed soon, said Mr Oakeshott today
24 September 2007