Horse flu inquiry hears of Tamworth victimisation

The horse flu inquiry has revealed a degree of victimisation given to people who were caught up in the equine flu outbreak in the Tamworth district in north-west New South Wales.

A man has told the inquiry his daughter was ostracised at her Tamworth school after the outbreak.

Emma Hindmarsh and her father Norm were called to give evidence to the inquiry as they attended an equestrian event near Maitland, which is linked to the spread of the virus into the wider horse population.

Miss Hindmarsh told the inquiry the three horses she took to Maitland were well and did not get sick until several days later.

Even then she thought they only had a cold, prompting her to take two of them to another event at Moonbi the following weekend.

Her father told the inquiry his daughter was hassled at school because she was deemed unclean.

He said that is how stressful and harmful equine influenza has been in the Tamworth district.