Tick disaster after fresh AQIS bungle

AN embarrassing bungle by Australian quarantine authorities has exposed the entire New Caledonian beef herd to the potentially disastrous tick fever and could leave taxpayers with the cost of a major clean-up.

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke revealed yesterday that the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service had allowed Australian cattle to be exported to the island nation last year after being vaccinated against the disease.
Cattle vaccinated with the disease can pass it on to ticks and New Caledonian import laws require cattle to instead be drenched to kill ticks.
Mr Burke said the cattle exported from Australia on November 23 last year had infected ticks in New Caledonia, which were passing the disease to local cattle.
The bungle follows widespread criticism of AQIS last year after equine influenza entered Australia and paralysed the multi-million-dollar racing industry for months.
The equine influenza affair is being examined in detail by former High Court judge Ian Callinan. And AQIS is facing a wider review by Roger Beale, a former secretary of the Department of Environment and Heritage.
Tick fever, also known as babesiosis, can devastate cattle herds.
It occurs in eastern and northern Australia and despite being under control, costs the Australian beef industry up to $28 million a year.
Mr Burke met French ambassador Francois Descoueyte late yesterday to discuss Australian efforts to repair the damage caused by the bungle.
He earlier told parliament it was possible to treat affected cattle in New Caledonia with a chemical called Imazol, which would kill the tick fever organisms in the cattle and prevent further transmission of the disease to ticks.
However, it is understood Mr Burke was continuing to meet exporters last night about the more serious problem of eradicating the disease among the New Caledonian tick population.
"I am advised that the export of vaccinated cattle to New Caledonia has allowed the disease to enter their tick population and cause a disease outbreak in their local cattle," Mr Burke told parliament earlier.
"While information on this issue is still coming to hand, it seems clear, first of all, that there was a certification error by AQIS, and that as a result of that error there may be a significant impact on the beef industry in New Caledonia."
He said the Government was working with the Queensland Tick Fever Centre.
It was unclear last night about the cost of the clean-up program or whether New Caledonian cattle producers would have any case for compensation because of the AQIS error.
Sources said attention was instead being focused on finalising treatment plans.
Mr Burke said he would ensure that Australia met all of its obligations to New Caledonia.
And he said he hoped the Beale review into AQIS would help strengthen Australia's quarantine arrangements.
"It is critically important both for the protection of biosecurity in Australia and for our neighbouring countries to which we provide a service under agreed protocols that our quarantine and biosecurity services are robust," he said.
A spokesman for Mr Descoueyte last night confirmed the ambassador met Mr Burke late yesterday. The pair had agreed to work together on tick fever problem, particularly through co-operation between their respective science agencies.
"We are still establishing the facts of the situation," the spokeswoman said.