STATE GOVERNMENT OUTLINES RESPONSE TO HORSE FLU
Published Thursday, 27 September, 2007 at 08:55 AM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
The State Government will implement a range of new measures to help people in the horse industry impacted by the recent spread of the equine influenza, Premier Anna Bligh announced today.
“The outbreak of equine influenza at Hendra has taken this emergency to a new level and we need to elevate our response accordingly,” Ms Bligh said.
“Our response has been effective so far but hundreds of more horses have now been potentially affected and the flow on effects to owners, breeders and industry workers is enormous.
“This is akin to a natural disaster and we must treat it accordingly.
“This morning the Treasurer Andrew Fraser, Minister for Primary Industries Tim Mulherin and the Director-General of Premier and Cabinet Ken Smith had a productive meeting with a range of industry representatives and as a result we will implement a number of short-term assistance and long-term industry recovery measures.
“In the short-term we have agreed to the following measures to help people directly employed in the industry including:
• A small business interest subsidy scheme administered by the Queensland Government. This will help businesses facing hardship because of the crisis meet their financial commitments. The criteria for the loans will be determined by State Cabinet on Monday.
• Requests for assistance, through the Australian Bankers Association for banks to provide short-term relief for people facing financial difficulty meeting mortgage or other loan repayments. Requests for assistance, through the Insurance Council of Australia, for insurance companies to speedily process claims.
• Creation of a new one-stop shop at Hendra to provide financial, social and employment assistance. The exact location of this site will be determined in the next twenty-four hours. It will complement the five existing centres at Brookfield, Goondiwindi, Rosewood, Tamborine and Warwick.
• Creation of a mobile one-stop shop to service other affected areas of the State.
• Financial assistance to organisations such as Lifeline and Red Cross to help administer emergency relief payments through the Department of Communities. These payments complement the existing services available under Centrelink.
Ms Bligh said State Cabinet would also consider a raft of long-term measures to help the industry get back on its feet.
“I have asked the Treasurer and Minister responsible for Racing, Andrew Fraser, to bring to Cabinet on Monday a submission to fund a major marketing and advertising campaign in support of next year’s Winter Racing Carnival,” she said.
“This will ensure that once the effects of the flu have passed we are ready to race again and give punters and fans every opportunity to support the industry.
“This submission will also address employment and training assistance and other business support measures.”
Ms Bligh said she had also written to the Prime Minister last night to outline the recent spread of the disease in Queensland and to seek his assistance in upgrading the level and scope of the response.
“I appreciate the Commonwealth support so far, but the racing industry alone is responsible for the employment of an estimated 30,000 people in Queensland - most of whom have been impacted by the escalation of the horse flu crisis,” she said.
“Their hardship is likely to increase dramatically in coming weeks.
“Our governments need to respond to this as they would a significant natural disaster, requiring high levels of cooperation and coordination between governments across a range of social, income support and industry assistance services.’’
Ms Bligh said there would be no racing at Eagle Farm or Doomben until at least February and at this stage race meetings scheduled for elsewhere in south east Queensland had also been cancelled.
She said the first batch of vaccines were expected to arrive In Australia tomorrow.
Members of the public seeking further information or assistance can contact 13 25 23.
26 September, 2007
Media contact: Premiers Office (07) 3224 4500
“The outbreak of equine influenza at Hendra has taken this emergency to a new level and we need to elevate our response accordingly,” Ms Bligh said.
“Our response has been effective so far but hundreds of more horses have now been potentially affected and the flow on effects to owners, breeders and industry workers is enormous.
“This is akin to a natural disaster and we must treat it accordingly.
“This morning the Treasurer Andrew Fraser, Minister for Primary Industries Tim Mulherin and the Director-General of Premier and Cabinet Ken Smith had a productive meeting with a range of industry representatives and as a result we will implement a number of short-term assistance and long-term industry recovery measures.
“In the short-term we have agreed to the following measures to help people directly employed in the industry including:
• A small business interest subsidy scheme administered by the Queensland Government. This will help businesses facing hardship because of the crisis meet their financial commitments. The criteria for the loans will be determined by State Cabinet on Monday.
• Requests for assistance, through the Australian Bankers Association for banks to provide short-term relief for people facing financial difficulty meeting mortgage or other loan repayments. Requests for assistance, through the Insurance Council of Australia, for insurance companies to speedily process claims.
• Creation of a new one-stop shop at Hendra to provide financial, social and employment assistance. The exact location of this site will be determined in the next twenty-four hours. It will complement the five existing centres at Brookfield, Goondiwindi, Rosewood, Tamborine and Warwick.
• Creation of a mobile one-stop shop to service other affected areas of the State.
• Financial assistance to organisations such as Lifeline and Red Cross to help administer emergency relief payments through the Department of Communities. These payments complement the existing services available under Centrelink.
Ms Bligh said State Cabinet would also consider a raft of long-term measures to help the industry get back on its feet.
“I have asked the Treasurer and Minister responsible for Racing, Andrew Fraser, to bring to Cabinet on Monday a submission to fund a major marketing and advertising campaign in support of next year’s Winter Racing Carnival,” she said.
“This will ensure that once the effects of the flu have passed we are ready to race again and give punters and fans every opportunity to support the industry.
“This submission will also address employment and training assistance and other business support measures.”
Ms Bligh said she had also written to the Prime Minister last night to outline the recent spread of the disease in Queensland and to seek his assistance in upgrading the level and scope of the response.
“I appreciate the Commonwealth support so far, but the racing industry alone is responsible for the employment of an estimated 30,000 people in Queensland - most of whom have been impacted by the escalation of the horse flu crisis,” she said.
“Their hardship is likely to increase dramatically in coming weeks.
“Our governments need to respond to this as they would a significant natural disaster, requiring high levels of cooperation and coordination between governments across a range of social, income support and industry assistance services.’’
Ms Bligh said there would be no racing at Eagle Farm or Doomben until at least February and at this stage race meetings scheduled for elsewhere in south east Queensland had also been cancelled.
She said the first batch of vaccines were expected to arrive In Australia tomorrow.
Members of the public seeking further information or assistance can contact 13 25 23.
26 September, 2007
Media contact: Premiers Office (07) 3224 4500