GOVERNMENT MUST INTERVENE ON THREATS TO HORSE INDUSTRY

Thursday 18 October 2007

Shadow Minister for Agriculture John Vogels has slammed the Brumby Government’s inaction and lack of support for community based associations involved in Victoria’s horse industry, following the outbreak of equine influenza (EI) in NSW and Queensland.

Mr Vogels was part of crisis talks with horse industry representatives held earlier this week held by Liberal Leader Ted Baillieu.

“It was clear from these talks that Victoria’s biosecurity measures are weak, lack any rigor and are not audited, they are dodgy and the process is flawed and lacking DPI input,’ he said.

Victoria’s 210 Pony clubs, 125 Agricultural Show Associations, Equestrian, Polo, Camp drafting and Quarter horse organisations, not to mention the leisure horse industry, have been left in limbo more than two months after the EI outbreak.

Victoria’s pony clubs alone have approx. 30,000 horses on their books and they do not have the resources to stay afloat without significant State Government funding.

“To vaccinate a horse against EI and microchip it, is estimated to cost approx. $500 per horse. That equates to $15 million for the pony industry alone which is clearly not affordable for many families”, he said.

Mr Vogels said, “ Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre (WPNEC) had already contravened a voluntary standstill request from DPI and resumed Equestrian Federation Australia (EFA) competition because the centre was not sustainable without income.”

“Just to maintain WPNEC with skeleton staff, insurance and maintenance costs $35,000 a month.

“That’s a large slice of the Brumby Government’s measly $500,000 pie dished up to nourish non-racing groups through the crisis. Clearly the Brumby Government has underestimated the needs of Victoria’s equine industry.

“These groups aren’t just losing money. They’re losing vets, farriers, coaches, and judges – all of who have been forced to seek other employment.”

Mr Vogels said there was no end in sight for the standstill, and non-racing horse industry leaders were only receiving monthly briefings from DPI.

It is time the Brumby Government took off the blinkers and stepped up its support for non-racing horse industry groups.

Non-racing horse industry groups know the importance of the racing industry, they know what’s at stake but they should not be ignored and bullied when they are bending over backwards at their own expense to keep EI out of Victoria,” Mr Vogels said.