Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I agree with the member for Kennedy that this is actually a very serious issue. The hendra virus has already, as he mentioned in his question, taken four lives—one recently of a vet in Queensland. I am sure people on both sides of this House would like to extend condolences to the families affected. I understand that this is a very real concern for communities.

I have been working with the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as you would expect to get advice from our team about steps that should be taken particularly to avert the hendra virus. It is probably worth reminding people in the House—I am sure the member for Kennedy is aware—that this disease is mostly found in bats and horses. It can be passed to humans with very close contact, but we have no evidence to date of there being any human-to-human transmission, which is an important factor in being able to assure the community that the virus is being closely watched and that there are serious issues. In fact earlier this week the government announced that they were investing some additional funds with the Queensland government to deal with a vaccine which would be available for horses. Of course the best way for us to stop the hendra virus, which is now known in Australia because it is transmitted amongst animals, is to look at treating it as an animal disease and therefore reducing exposure to humans. I will have to take on notice the member for Kennedy’s reference to the CSIRO report.

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