Werribee to be quarantine station for NSW stranded Vic horses and interstate Racehorses

MELBOURNE CUP TO STOP THE NATION LIKE NEVER BEFORE

The Premier John Brumby said this year's Melbourne Cup will stop the nation like never before, with Victoria's tough biosecurity measures ensuring the jewel in Australia's racing crown will go ahead.
Joined by Deputy Premier and Racing Minister Rob Hulls and Agriculture Minister Joe Helper, Mr Brumby inspected the biosecurity measures at Flemington Racecourse to minimise any possibility of equine influenza at the racecourse.
Mr Brumby also confirmed measures were in place to ensure that in the unlikely event of an outbreak of equine influenza elsewhere in the state, racehorses set to run in the Cup would be protected.
"The majority of horses involved in the upcoming Spring Racing Carnival events are stabled at Caulfield and Flemington," Mr Brumby said.
"In the extremely unlikely event of an outbreak of equine influenza elsewhere in the state, Caulfield and Flemington can be locked-down and kept in an exclusion zone, allowing racing to continue. Both Caulfield and Flemington have their own stringent biosecurity arrangements.
"International horses at Sandown and horses at other stables are also in carefully controlled environments with strict protocols governing their operation and race day movements. In short, Victorians can have confidence the Carnival is fully guarded and will proceed."
Mr Brumby said measures were in place at Flemington Racecourse to ensure any human-horse contact occurs within strictly controlled exclusion zones.
"But I can assure racegoers to the Melbourne Cup Carnival that they should not be significantly inconvenienced by the operation of the exclusion zones," he said.

Mr Brumby also announced that a quarantine site had been established at the Werribee Equestrian Centre which is expected to stable up to 50 horses at a time. Under nationally agreed, new quarantine rules, horses from non-equine-influenza zones interstate must spend at least two weeks in quarantine before coming to Victoria, followed by a further two weeks in quarantine in Victoria.
"Victorian horses stranded in NSW by the equine influenza outbreak will be given priority at the Werribee quarantine site, with interstate horses wanting to compete in Victorian races to follow," Mr Brumby said.
Mr Brumby praised all involved in Victoria's response to the outbreak of equine influenza in NSW and Queensland for their professionalism and commitment during such a challenging time.
"Through sheer hard work and determination of the thoroughbred racing industry, stakeholders and the broader community, the Spring Racing Carnival has been able to go ahead," he said.
"The number of pre-sold tickets to Flemington's four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival indicates another bumper Carnival, to be kicked off this Saturday with the AAMI VRC Derby."
Mr Hulls thanked the racing industry for its vigilance and cooperation in safeguarding the state from equine influenza and expressed his profound disappointment that the Federal Government had ignored Victoria in its assistance package.
"The Victorian thoroughbred and harness racing industries have effectively kept racing industries in NSW and Queensland afloat during the past two months, by continuing to supply a first class program of racing on which these states continued to derive wagering income," he said.
"Yet not one cent of the $227 million Federal Government compensation funding will be directed to the Victorian racing industry or the many community-based horse organisations, all of which have been devastated by the current situation.
"Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran, a fellow Victorian, should acknowledge the efforts of the Victorian racing industry and other Victorian horse organisations by providing a fair and equitable assistance package."
Mr Helper said the Brumby Government was aware of the many sacrifices made by horse associations, who have voluntarily cancelled events to help ensure that equine influenza does not come to Victoria.
"The Department of Primary Industries has begun talks with these organisations and we are hopeful they can begin holding events again in January, provided there are no outbreaks of equine influenza in Victoria," Mr Helper said.
"But the fight is not over. Border security controls continue to operate 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week at all crossing points between NSW and Victoria."
DPI is also making arrangements for the use of high resolution security cameras to assist border surveillance at the busiest crossing points.
"DPI has received more than 250 reports from members of the public of possible breaches of border security. All reports have been, or are being, investigated and the vast majority have turned out to be false alarms," Mr Helper said.
"DPI has issued 14 warning letters for minor or accidental breaches of border security. Two incidents involving horses being caught crossing the border are likely to result in prosecution."

Media release: From the Premier of Victoria Thursday, 1 November, 2007