DPI BLUNDERINGS

The QLD DPI is not handling the EI outbreak well at all! Their databases and information our constantly out of date. Despite repeatedly informing them that myself and my neighbours have continued to test NEGATIVE and have never had sick horses, they have us all as having infections on all of their “latest” maps and reports. Ringing them does not help, they seem to operate by reading off a fact sheet without answering our questions at all. Two days before vaccines were distributed in buffer zones they could not tell me (even the Brisbane office) where the buffer zone would be and said to check the web site in a couple of days time. There seems to be little or no communication between the various regional offices and the Brisbane office. What I really want to know is if our information is incorrect (and they have no interest in rectifying their public records) then how many other “confirmed sites” are incorrect. This then makes me wonder how effective the zoning system is.

God help us all if there is a Foot and Mouth outbreak if this is how our Departments handle disease control. There seems to be a lot of bungling, not much communication and pretty much no system at all. Let’s hope they get it together for all of our sakes.

Denise