Most of NSW clear of horse flu: govt

The majority of NSW has been declared free from equine influenza at a federal level, the state government says.
All Australian states and territories agreed to recognise NSW's equine influenza green zone on equal terms with their own disease-free jurisdictions.
"This means that 86 per cent of NSW is accepted nationally as disease free and movements across the border from this area of NSW will be eased from Friday, February 1," NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said in a statement.
"This is (a) further significant step towards a return to normal for the states' horse industries.
"To implement the nationally-accepted status, the current green zone will be reclassified on February 1 as white in the state's EI Protection Plan," he said.
Until now all horses moving to Victoria from the NSW green zone required a permit and had to spend up to two weeks in quarantine in both states.
"Now, all that will be required is a travelling horse statement in NSW and a permit from the DPI in the destination state," Mr Macdonald said.
The statement can be found at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au.