Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
Costello outlines bird flu risks
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20301682-29277,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20301682-29277,00.html
A REGIONAL outbreak of bird flu would be traumatic economically, Treasurer Peter Costello has said.
"If there were an outbreak of bird flu that would be probably the most severe economic shock that the region could have," Mr Costello said on ABC Radio.
His comments come ahead of an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) meeting of finance ministers in Vietnam next week.
"If there was an outbreak then you'd have to close borders, you'd have close cross border trade, you'd have to close movement of people, you would have obviously a lot of companies that would have to stop production," Mr Costello said.
"It would be recessionary, if not worse, so the economic impacts of avian flu are enormous and that's one of the reasons why we spend as much money as we do, and we do spend quite a lot of money, preparing for such an eventuality."
"If there were an outbreak of bird flu that would be probably the most severe economic shock that the region could have," Mr Costello said on ABC Radio.
His comments come ahead of an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) meeting of finance ministers in Vietnam next week.
"If there was an outbreak then you'd have to close borders, you'd have close cross border trade, you'd have to close movement of people, you would have obviously a lot of companies that would have to stop production," Mr Costello said.
"It would be recessionary, if not worse, so the economic impacts of avian flu are enormous and that's one of the reasons why we spend as much money as we do, and we do spend quite a lot of money, preparing for such an eventuality."