The ABC News item of Thu Sep 20, 2007, headed "Racing industry shocked at Youth Day plan" (see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/20/2038369.htm ) states "Senior horse racing officials say they are astounded that the New South Wales Government is considering allowing organisers of World Youth Day to have access to the locked down Randwick Racecourse."

This would seem to be especially so in the light of Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran's statement of 2 September that "The infected stallions are still there so it means it has escaped Eastern Creek or the airport or somewhere in the chain by human contact"

It is not only perplexing, given that human contact is at this stage the main suspect in this escape of the disease from quarantine, to see that there is any suggestion that World Youth Day organisers will be added to the few absolutely essential persons permitted access to the Randwick Racecourse facility, but also alarming.

The alarm arises from the fact that if under the present conditions the NSW government is prepared to even consider allowing non-essential World Youth Day planners in, it must mean that the NSW government is committed to giving this Catholic church event the 10 weeks or so free access to Randwick NEXT year that the AJC, as legitimate occupiers of the facility, are so against. See ABC News item "Randwick officials stand firm on papal mass" http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/29/2018234.htm . Is this part of a sort of standover deal at which the Catholic church has so excelled over the years?

Such an ill-advised NSW government intention would mean that the racing industry would now lose TWO spring racing carnivals in succession. With tens of millions of taxpayers' dollars having to be spent to contain this outbreak, let alone to compensate the industry for the consequences of the quarantine breach, Australia cannot afford to carry the industry's loss of next year's earnings just to provide security and facilities for a Papal Mass.

Get smart, Australia.

It's funny, you ask anyone, stranger or friend, anyone whether they agree to this ludicrous idea of holding the Youth Forum at Randwick instead of somewhere like Telstra Stadium and I'd bet good money you won't find anyone whose name isn't Iemma that agrees on having it at Randwick.

Tobias
Well it must be a Labour brain storm because they did the "same thing" here on the Gold coast Sunday Evening at the Gold Coast Turf Club.
The Australian university of sports had six thousands kids walking all over ground where horses have been locked down to tarvel back up to Brisbane and spread a few more germs.

They also had the public in outrage and tied up all our police with hundreds of calls of complaints about the noise.
People were calling up from as far as three and four miles away into both Broadbeach and Southport Police Station.
They did not turn the noise down even when being asked to do so by police.
Nobody should be on those tracks especially six thousand kids.
Take a good look at labours grand ideas pease everybody before you vote for them.
As for the flu Warren Truss was warned years ago and did nothing.
He should stand down.
He always has been and always will be a total discrace.
He has been sent footage of barbaric! acts of cruelty to Australian Animals as well over many years but did nothing.
Hes reasonsibly for so much suffering and if Howards re elected he should dump him real quick along with the discusting Bill Heffernann.
Bill calls himself a "Christian" but sends millions of animals to unbeleibable cruelty instead of slaughter here and keeping jobs for the next generation.
Shame

Pale, they are self-seeking politicians and if there isn't a $ on the horizon, they do not give a rats.
You, I and most reasonable people understand that animals feel pain,
sadness and helplessness. As long as the almighty dollar is there they will not listen and no matter what you do they never will.

When the Equine Flu was first announced that it was affecting horses in Australia I looked it up on the internet to find it had jumped to greyhounds in America. They also said there was a immunisation available often given to the foal when its mother contracted the virus.
Another search today brings up more unsettling information.
http://www.infectiousdiseases.about.com/od/petslivestockandgame/p/dogsflu.htm - 27

Tobias
Thanks for your sensible comments. I will include Ma Edda reply as well in one post.
It is only the Australian pubic that dont know that all diseases stem from Animal Cruelty "including bird flu'.

Call it horse flue or small ox or whatevr you wish. Ever thought about wy now? A nation of Gamblers [ smart]

The fact is virus and disease come from intensive feed lots and inhumane treatment of Animals world wide.

It is just as if you had a huge flood and put thousands or millions of people shoulder to shoulder.

The truth is some countries overseas eye Australia off because of its past free green disease free reputation.

Unlike the Australia public who have been kept in the dark they know where it all started and are interested to buy from a country with grass roots free range farms.

However that is changing and unless we act now our future will be destroyed.

Remember when you would take the kids or grandkids for a drive in the country to see the farm Animals?

Now they are hidden from he public eye in intensive feed lots or piggerys like Amanda Vanstones pig farms- or her SHARE investment
SHAME!
Bird that can never spread their wings. Pigs that cant stand turn or follow their natural instincts.

Animal being fed EVERY DAY Anti Bi - otics to TRY to kerb the diseases.

Is it ANY wonder we have virus`s we cant control?

Dr Alibec wrote a book on where Small pox came from and what was done to the poor monkeys.
Turn your back everybody while you can because the truth is not far away.
I believe God is furious at the treantment of Animals by everybodies so called Gods.