Govt urged to pay for all horse flu vaccinations

The Queensland Opposition says equine influenza vaccinations should be free for all pleasure and performance horses in the state's south-east.

The Coalition's primary industries spokesman, Mike Horan, says while thoroughbred and standard-bred horses have now been vaccinated, there has still been no commitment on pleasure and performance horses.

He says while the racing industry has paid for vaccinations up to now, the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has told other owners they will have to pay up to $300 per horse for the vaccine if they live outside the buffer zones.

Mr Horan says pleasure and performance horses account for 80 per cent of the horse population and owners should not have to pay.
"I believe that the State and the Commonwealth should be looking at doing all the pleasure and performance horses for free to get this industry back on its feet," he said.


"It is worth many millions of dollars to south-east Queensland in jobs, in businesses and the economy, and it is just essential to get it fixed up."