Legislation to better position Australia’s horse industry to deal with the cost of future exotic disease outbreaks was introduced at the request of the industry, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, said today.

The industry has been seeking the arrangements for some time and was aware that legislation was being drafted well before the recent Equine Influenza (EI) outbreak.

While the legislation also establishes a mechanism for recovering industry’s share of the costs of the response to the current equine influenza outbreak, it doesn’t 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.

“I am committed to discussing any future action on levies with industry and have ensured this is required under the legislation.

“Industry groups have indicated they are happy to sit down with the Government to discuss appropriate cost-recovery measures for the current EI response after the Callinan Inquiry.

“The inquiry is continuing and I look forward to receiving the final report.

“We remain focused on working with state governments and industry to finalise the current eradication effort so we can declare Australia free of equine influenza.

“We also want to save horse owners from paying for the annual vaccination of horses which is required in other countries where the disease is endemic.

“We are close to being one of the few countries in the world to ever eradicate this disease.”