Quarantine under fire over EI spread

The horse flu inquiry has heard mass vaccinations would not have prevented the outbreak but would have protected horses from its effects. (ABC News)

The Callinan inquiry into the horse flu outbreak in Australia has been told the disease would not have spread if quarantine procedures were adequate.

The head of the Equine Infection Disease Lab at the University of Melbourne, Dr James Gilkerson, was the first witness to give evidence at the inquiry today.

Dr Gilkerson gave detailed evidence about the likely cause of the horse flu outbreak, which has crippled the racing industry in New South Wales and Queensland.

He told the hearing that quarantine procedures had been inadequate in any country where there had been an outbreak of equine influenza.

He said each outbreak had been traced back to the air transport of horses.

Dr Gilkerson told the hearing Australia's outbreak was probably caused by an infected horse coming into contact with equipment or people at Sydney Airport or the Eastern Creek Quarantine Centre, where a lack of adequate biosecurity measures failed to prevent the spread of the virus.

Under cross-examination by lawyers for the Commonwealth, Dr Gilkerson pointed to inadequacies in Australia's quarantine procedures.

He said any procedures that failed to prevent an outbreak must be inadequate by definition.

Dr Gilkerson also suggested that all imported horses should be vaccinated for the disease once they arrive in Australia.

He said mass vaccination in Australia would not have prevented the disease but would have protected horses from its effects.

The inquiry was earlier told the outbreak in Australia was probably caused by lax biosecurity measures at Sydney Airport and the Eastern Creek quarantine facility.

A range of people will give evidence throughout the inquiry, including importing agents, grooms, vets and farriers.

The inquiry, headed by retired High Court judge Ian Callinan, is due to report back by April 25 next year.

Australia confirmed its first case of horse flu in a stallion at the Eastern Creek station in August.

More than 40,000 horses are still infected with equine influenza in Australia.