❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses equine influenza risks, quarantine protocols for interstate horses, and vaccination concerns, with the Minister responding by outlining testing and quarantine measures, clarifying vaccine distribution, and agreeing with the RWWA chief vet's concerns about masking symptoms.
AnsweredQoN 828Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
EQUINE INFLUENZA
My question is about the equine influenza issue. (1) How does the minister know that horses coming into Western Australia are equine influenza free? (2) Is the minister satisfied that horses visiting the Perth Royal Show from the eastern states will have sufficient time to be quarantined and exceed withholding periods for equine influenza before coming into contact with other horses in Western Australia? (3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE
My question is about the equine influenza issue. (1) How does the minister know that horses coming into Western Australia are equine influenza free? (2) Is the minister satisfied that horses visiting the Perth Royal Show from the eastern states will have sufficient time to be quarantined and exceed withholding periods for equine influenza before coming into contact with other horses in Western Australia? (3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(1) How does the minister know that horses coming into Western Australia are equine influenza free? (2) Is the minister satisfied that horses visiting the Perth Royal Show from the eastern states will have sufficient time to be quarantined and exceed withholding periods for equine influenza before coming into contact with other horses in Western Australia? (3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(2) Is the minister satisfied that horses visiting the Perth Royal Show from the eastern states will have sufficient time to be quarantined and exceed withholding periods for equine influenza before coming into contact with other horses in Western Australia? (3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(1) How does the minister know that horses coming into Western Australia are equine influenza free? (2) Is the minister satisfied that horses visiting the Perth Royal Show from the eastern states will have sufficient time to be quarantined and exceed withholding periods for equine influenza before coming into contact with other horses in Western Australia? (3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(2) Is the minister satisfied that horses visiting the Perth Royal Show from the eastern states will have sufficient time to be quarantined and exceed withholding periods for equine influenza before coming into contact with other horses in Western Australia? (3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(3) Why has the minister disregarded the advice given by Racing and Wagering Western Australia chief vet, Dr Judith Medd, that vaccinating horses has the potential to mask any symptoms of a horse that may be infected with equine influenza? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
I thank Hon Anthony Fels for his question. (1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(1) We know because they are tested. That is the answer to the first part of the question. Horses cannot leave even an uninfected jurisdiction unless they have been tested for EI. For horses coming into Western Australia, I have issued a specification that actually exceeds the protocol; that is, I require the horses, after coming into Western Australia, to be held in isolation, 1 000 metres separate from any other horse, for a period equal to the whole incubation period for EI, which is normally taken to be five days maximum. However, we are requiring seven days. They are then re-examined and, if necessary, retested. That is the base rule that applies to every horse, even though it may have come from an uninfected jurisdiction. (2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(2) As to the Perth Royal Show horses, I am not aware of any horses coming from interstate jurisdictions to the Perth Royal Show, and I am not aware of any permits issued that can allow that. I am sorry; I am not saying the member is incorrect. Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon Anthony Fels : Some Western Australian horses have been competing over east, and their owners want to get them back to Western Australia for the Perth Royal Show. Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon KIM CHANCE : There would not be time for them to do that. The horses may come back in time for the Perth Royal Show, but they could not appear at the Royal Show because they would still be in quarantine in Western Australia. However, I will check that. I thank the member for raising that. However, I am certainly unaware of it. (3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
(3) Yes, I am aware that the RWWA chief vet has made that statement, and I do not dispute it. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. What I cannot agree with is his assumption about the circumstances. Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon Helen Morton : It’s a lady - she. Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
Hon KIM CHANCE : It is a lady, is it? Okay. I am pleased to hear that. I disagree with her on the matter of circumstance. For my understanding of what she said, I can only rely on the newspaper article that I read, and, unfortunately, the only newspaper I have read it in is The West Australian . There is always a question about The West Australian : “Is it true or did you read it in The West ?” However, do not bother taking it to the Press Council! The West does not take any notice of the Press Council either! I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
I understand the RWWA chief vet to have said that horses that are vaccinated in Victoria should not be brought into Western Australia. There is no proposal to vaccinate horses in Victoria, except in very limited circumstances. The agreement that was reached between the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the state ministers at our telephone meeting on Sunday afternoon was that the 50 000 doses of vaccine that would be coming in would be allocated in the following way: 1 500 doses would be for Victorian racing, but only for those horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival; and the remainder would be split equally between Queensland and New South Wales. The first 20 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of this week. The second 30 000 doses are coming in on Thursday of next week. Two weeks hence, another 100 000 doses will be coming in. Those doses will also be committed to the second shot for the Queensland and New South Wales horses. There may also be an allocation for brood mares, although a decision on that matter will be made by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases later this week. An assumption was made in the RWWA chief vet’s reported statement to The West Australian that horses that had been vaccinated in Victoria would be coming into Western Australia. I think that is most unlikely. I would be very, very concerned if a horse, even from an uninfected area, that had been vaccinated came into Western Australia, because the problem is that no vaccine is perfect, and it may suppress the expression of symptoms and, as a result, allow sub-clinical EI to come into this state on a horse. I would be very concerned about that. In fact, the CCEAD is yet to make a decision about the possibility of transporting horses that have been inoculated, whether from an infected jurisdiction or not. I think the RWWA chief vet has made an assumption that Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine. Victoria will be getting a share of that vaccine only for horses that are competing in the Spring Racing Carnival.
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