In 1872 there was an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Australia, and later in evidence to the then Commission in Melbourne, E M Curr, Chief Inspector of Sheep stated : " At present, as in the case of pleuro and foot-and-mouth disease, disease is allowed to enter the colony, and when it has a fair start efforts are frantically made to undo the evil. It has always appeared to me that a general provision against any disease would be a wise thing to have in the country............."

Thank you Selwyn Johnston for keeping this very real issue of the introduction of exotic diseases into Australia and the subsequent implications they would have on our vital agriculture and horticulture industries, in the forefront.

Nothing political about it cost cutting and a cut in standards bought about by the current federal government gave us this horse flue.
Let us hope we will soon know how it got out, and spread so fast.
That question, what so badly hurt our fourth biggest industry must be answered.
Even now horses are moving around Australia long prison terms are called for not fines for such criminal acts.

Terrorists do not only need bombs and bullets. It can be used in an ecological way also. DPI and AQUIS are bureaucratic entities with most able to find someone to blame for their lack of due diligence. It is all to easy for anyone to bring in say (sugar can smut , citrus canker , horse flu ,bee mites ) and to many more to name.The problem is with the departments that use a reactive response and then try to pass the buck or blame somewhere else instead of seeing the problem for what it is and enacting a full ,fast and far reaching response. We need quick action on these problems not a lets wait and see head in the sand look on it. People are paid allot to make quick decisive decisions on these matters and then we only get excuses. When a problem is found ,get on it,fix it and then look for the source.