Vets Didn't Suspect EI At Eastern Creek

Retired High Court judge Ian Callinan's on-going inquiry into how Equine Influenza entered Australia has heard veterinarians attending horses at Sydney's Eastern Creek Quarantine Station had no experience with equine influenza & did not suspect it was present when several horses initially exhibited symptoms. Randwick Equine Centre's Dr Greg Nash (who attended the Darley shuttle stallions) said high temperatures & nasal discharge did not immediately alert him to EI because it had never previously been seen in Australia. And because imported horses have been vaccinated against the disease overseas & have also been in quarantine for 2-3 weeks before they arrive in Australia, he assumed "it would have been apparent in pre-export quarantine facilities". Both Dr Nash & fellow Randwick Equine Centre vet Dr Joe Bruyn confirmed they had not showered when leaving Eastern Creek in recent years due to the poor facilities & lack of enforcement of the rule to do so by the Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service. (Dec 6)