Australia's horse racing industry is urging the Federal Government to restructure its quarantine and biosecurity services.
The Government is today expected to announce the findings of a review into the operations of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and Biosecurity Australia, which was chaired by former senior Commonwealth bureaucrat Roger Beale.
The review follows former High Court judge Justice Ian Callinan's damning report on Australia's quarantine procedures after last year's horse flu outbreak.
Chief executive of the Australian Racing Board Andrew Harding says extra funding is needed to better protect livestock and horticulture industries.
"The EI (equine influenza) outbreak resulted in a loss to the horse industry and the community of something in the order $1 billion," he said.
"If it wasn't equine influenza, if it was something like foot and mouth disease, what would be the bill for the Australian community and Australia's reputation in terms of agricultural exports? It would be hard to calculate."
He says any extra funding for quarantine authorities will be money well spent.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/18/2449573.htm
The Government is today expected to announce the findings of a review into the operations of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and Biosecurity Australia, which was chaired by former senior Commonwealth bureaucrat Roger Beale.
The review follows former High Court judge Justice Ian Callinan's damning report on Australia's quarantine procedures after last year's horse flu outbreak.
Chief executive of the Australian Racing Board Andrew Harding says extra funding is needed to better protect livestock and horticulture industries.
"The EI (equine influenza) outbreak resulted in a loss to the horse industry and the community of something in the order $1 billion," he said.
"If it wasn't equine influenza, if it was something like foot and mouth disease, what would be the bill for the Australian community and Australia's reputation in terms of agricultural exports? It would be hard to calculate."
He says any extra funding for quarantine authorities will be money well spent.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/18/2449573.htm