Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to make a statement about the deadly hendra virus. I know that the minister at the table, the member for Griffith, would be well familiar with the hendra virus in Queensland. The hendra virus is spread from fruit bats or flying foxes, via their secretions, to horses and then to humans. It is a deadly virus that has already taken the lives of four Queenslanders in recent years. There is a recent outbreak in northern New South Wales and in the southern parts of Queensland.

I hope the Prime Minister and the government are listening, because what we need to do is provide some $250,000 for protective clothing for the veterinarians and their staff who have to go to the suspected outbreaks and deal with those horses. Right now there are some 17 Queenslanders who are basically sitting on death row, wondering whether they have contracted this deadly disease. I am sure all of us in this place hope that they get a negative result from the tests that are currently being carried out. We also need to make sure that these kits are available in the vehicles of these veterinarians for use by them and their staff when they go to the suspected outbreaks.

The other thing we need to do is fast track the vaccine that is being developed by the Australian Animal Health Laboratory as quickly as possible because that is another way of breaking the cycle between bats, horses and humans, and it will ultimately save lives. We need to make sure that this is done quickly and I call on the government to act on this deadly disease. (Time expired)