New laws to protect industry from cost of horse flu

Legislation to better position Australia's horse industry to deal with the cost of future exotic disease outbreaks has been introduced into Federal Parliament at the request of the industry.

It comes as the disease has been officially eradicated from the eastern seaboard, although some protective measures will stay in place.

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said today that the industry had been seeking for some time the new legislation, which was in the process of being drafted even before the EI outbreak.

The legislation establishes a mechanism for recovering the horse industry's share of the costs of the response to the current equine influenza outbreak, but it does not propose a specific levy at this time.

"The legislation was requested by peak industry organisations to enable industry to fund its share of the cost of responding to any future national emergency disease outbreaks," Mr Burke said.

"I am aware of comments by some parts of the horse industry that the costs of the current EI outbreak should not be recovered under these proposed arrangements before the Parliament.

"The legislation would enable a mechanism for a levy to cover industry's share of the costs of the current outbreak.

"However, future regulation will be required before a levy can be set, which would outline the detail of how future collection arrangements would work."

The Commonwealth Government will continue to fully fund the cost of assistance measures, consistent with guidelines, including Business Assistance Grants, the Commercial Horse Assistance Payment Scheme, the wage supplement and grants for non-profit community groups.

"I have no intention of introducing a levy before receiving the final Callinan Inquiry report," Mr Burke said.

Meanwhile, the NSW Government says it will keep in place its Travelling Horse Statements and compulsory event registrations for some time, even though EI has now been defeated.

NSW deputy chief veterinary officer, Ian Roth, said permits and testing were no longer required for any horse movements within NSW, but it was still necessary to record horse movements as a precautionary measure.

"We are extremely confident the EI virus has burnt out in NSW, but just in case an undetected pocket of disease has evaded our widespread search, we need to ensure horse movements can be traced," Mr Roth said.

"The only requirement throughout NSW is to give prior notice of movements and events. No approval is needed.

"A THS must be carried on the journey when moving horses by vehicle or travelling to a horse event.

"This requirement will continue at least until the end of June."