Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Is the minister aware that in North Queensland all horse related community functions have been stopped—all riding in Mount Garnet; the Atherton races; horse sports at Mount Isa—yet they are all 2,500 kilometres from the nearest confirmed equine influenza case? The state DPIs are now clearly applying protocols to Australian horse activities that AQIS never applied to their operations at Eastern Creek. Could the minister advise whether therefore state DPIs are acting with an excessive abuse of power or whether AQIS’s protocols were gross and irresponsible breaches of their duty of care? Finally, could the minister assure the House that outbreak areas are being rigidly quarantined and universal vaccination is being initiated throughout these areas? And, most importantly, could he assure the House that AQIS’s continuing appalling record of supinely saying ‘yes’ to all import applications will this time be punished?

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