Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question, Mr President. The only foot in mouth was Senator Abetz’s, of course. I will quote from the letter of September 2004 from the Australian Racing Board, which states:

If equine influenza gained entry into Australia, it would close down racing and other horse events for several months with catastrophic economic consequences.

Hear that? It goes on:

A quarantine breakdown is the only way Australia will be exposed to this exotic disease.

So is it true that Mr Truss assured the ARB that all imported horses would be under the direct control of an AQIS vet? Is it true that a number of horses were not inspected under the control of an AQIS vet from January 2005? Aren’t members of the horse and racing community now suffering because of the government’s failure—