David Hawker Website Enquiry

Please find below a letter, if you like, I sent this morning to our Federal member. I certainly don’t know if this will do any good, do anything at all but perhaps I feel a bit better after sending it.

Sir,
With respect to Equine Influenza and the impact on the non-racing (or pleasure horse industry).

No doubt you have been contacted by many horse owners during and since the EI outbreak in Australia. August seems to be have been so far away in the minds of many, certainly not in the minds of many of our politicians. May I take one moment of your time to extend to you, in the interests of all non-racing horse owners, an invitation to listen carefully to their concerns. This will become, in the minds of these horse owners, an election issue and I exhort you to listen to us all.

It is true that EI has not entered Victoria or South Australia. In some sense therefore, the whole pleasure horse population in these 2 states, are targets for the eventual encroachment of EI into this state. As our sitting member, I am reassured that you are from a background of the land, and therefore understand the connection the average horse owner has with their horses whether we are using the horse for our pleasure, or indeed, our sport. May I respectfully remind you that over 80% of the ‘pleasure horse’ population has nothing to do with racing at all. These horse owners, particularly here in your electorate, have not been well informed during this problematic time by DPI Vic or by our State government, let alone the Federal Government. The only way many of us have received information has been by voluntarily registering our horses with the Horse Industry Council thereby ensuring that this body (a significant body that is managed voluntarily and without Federal funding) keeps us informed. The other way we have kept ourselves informed is by visiting the Horse Deals website and going to the public blog. I urge you to read this (at least read some of the comments from people who have been neglected and sadly misinformed by various state DPI officers). Clearly most of us are taking our responsibilities extremely seriously.

Many horse and breed groups have cancelled and postponed events voluntarily to ensure that EI does not enter Victoria. Actually many of us had no choice either. Meanwhile, the racing industry has continued to hold meetings, train horses, travel and generally conduct their business as usual. Clearly this is a double standard that is operating not only in Victoria but in other states as well. Whilst all horse owners appreciate the importance of the Spring Racing Carnival to the economy, this complete and utter disregard for the rest of the horse owning population has served only to create a silent monster. I assure you Sir, that this monster will not remain silent for very long.

There is the issue of the either little or no dialogue with all non-racing horse owners during this crisis. If this level of non-communication remains, how do you expect we should fare when EI reaches Victoria?
There is the issue of clear double standards. Allowing racing to continue whilst non-racing horses, owners and businesses suffer the consequences of this shut down has been a travesty. It appears as though the only interests served here have been that of State governments, the Racing Industry and the betting businesses. This should be addressed immediately and I exhort you, as our serving member, to not only find out to what degree this has affected non-racing owners, but to put your mind to supporting us all.

There is the issue of the availability of vaccination to the non-racing horse owner and their charges. Again, with respect, the double standard has been to allow vaccination to all race horses as a priority but there has been no word at all to the rest of us, about when or even if, we may access a vaccine. The issue resounds rather more loudly than you would imagine. For instance, not one horse owner considers that his / her horse is any more or less important or valuable than a stable yard full of thoroughbreds. In the first instance, we were all told that the Ausvet plan was not to vaccinate.

There is the issue of who can claim payment for loss of earnings in affected business or industry. The way in which governments ‘helpfully’ make the rules ensures that most people are dismayed at the paperwork involved, further disappointed in the delays in processing and then finally, disillusioned when of course, they don’t actually qualify. These people are hurting Sir and I imagine that you have no idea who they are or where they are. I invite you to find out and visit them.

And finally, I would like to thank you for the time you will take to read this email, as I am writing this on behalf of every single ‘recreational’ horse owner in your electorate. I have no authority to do so of course, I have no permission to do so from any of them. What I do have is a well founded sense of moral outrage that any of this could occur in this country, and I believe I have a duty in a sense of what is right, fair and proper, to ensure that you Sir, as our elected representative actually does listen to what we have to say.

Regards,Karen Harrison