Excerpt:

"You also find antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals, but the tip of the iceberg, in my view, is these poultry sheds because what we've shown is that as soon as the chicks are coming into these sheds they're being colonised with a super bug called Vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and the interesting thing is that whilst the antibiotic that created this super bug is not used anymore, there are a number of other antibiotics being used that are selecting for the maintenance of this strain.

"We need to find out what's going on there because that actually says that these sheds are contaminated with these super bugs.

"It also says that the farmers are probably colonised with these super bugs. It probably also says that the slaughterers and the factories are probably also colonised with this super bug.

"I mean, the problem is, if you look in Europe, in the Netherlands and countries like that where they use this antibiotic, this is the case. If you go out to these communities where these poultry farms are, you find that the people working in the factories, the farmers, normal people in the community are colonised with these bugs, and yet no one has done this study in New Zealand.

Robyn Williams: And Australia?

"Greg Cook: Australia is a bit like New Zealand; no one really wants to do the study. There are a lot of people saying that it's not a problem, but no one has actually done the work.

"I think New Zealand has done a lot more work in this area than Australia. But Australia was like us, they used a lot of this antibiotic, five times the amount that we used.

"So there's no reason to think it won't be any different in Australia. What's interesting in Australia is that Australia has already had outbreaks in their hospitals with this super bug, with this VRE.

"I think there was one in Adelaide Hospital and it cost them $2 million to control this outbreak. We haven't had outbreaks in our hospitals yet but it will happen.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2007/2001938.htm#

http://birdflubook.com/g.php?id=6

PF, AFAIK they adjust the straw summer and winter, so in summer
they take advantage of the breeze, so things would be similar to
under a tree.

As I've made clear, pigs is not my game, simply my observations.
Thats why I specified if I was a pig, how I would choose.

The thing is, these guys are pig experts, long ago saw the benefits
of shelters and straw and shut their old concrete bunkers down.
Their chemical costs and health problems dropped through the floor,
so it was a win-win all round. They would be smart enough to make
any adjustment to their system which benefits pigs, as happy and
healthy pigs grow faster, which improves food conversion rates.

So I don't see the situation as black and white. Pigs under that
kind of informed management would thrive, whilst pigs under poor
free range management could well suffer in some situations. Not
everyone takes as much care as you do with your pigs.

But in the end if will be a marketing exercise and all about perceptions.
People are prepared to pay for that, so somebody will
take their money.

'You might. Personally I could not give a rats.' (Col Rouge)

Hopefully Col Rouge perused my last post on the abominable farming of battery hens. If so, he may now "give a rats" over this filthy practice and of the world-wide potential for another pandemic to occur if this industry is permitted to continue unabated. After all, he may not "give a rats" about the heinous treatment of other species but I suspect he would be more than anxious to save his own arse!

As Professor Greg Cook has warned, if a pandemic occurs, there is no longer an antibiotic to treat sick humans.

PALE

I have been liaising with a State pollie who has advised that Petitions to Parliament rarely go anywhere. Whilst he is not conversant with the Federal process, he has recommended that with regard to the Rudd/O'Brien issue, the greatest impact would be to have an opposition member ask the "question without notice."

Responses to "questions without notice" are required immediately.

In State parliament, when "questions without notice" are presented there is always a full house (perhaps the only time) - coz it's "Show Time" and the press gallery is usually well represented.

State Political parties are permitted to ask five "questions without notice" daily, therefore the strategy would be to approach the relevant opposing party member, requesting that the Rudd/Burke issue be included during the session. However, the five questions selected daily are generally a decision made by the leader of that party.

I have already written to my local Federal member over live exports and despite my years of assistance to him on polling day, the member chose not to respond. This would of course be due to the graphic evidence I included in my correspondence revealing the member to be a fraud when he publicly stated that:

"If there was any evidence of animal cruelty in the live exports, the Liberal Party would close this industry down immediately." Huh??

Therefore, I would now anticipate a negative response if I were to approach him on this issue.

Suggestions??

Hi Dickie.

Umm I meant get public awareness first - petitions ,media

I have given my advise on the Rudd but will just scribble a few more thoughts.

Even if you get somebody to raise it now- It will be "shaved" in Parliment in twenty seconds and we wont be able to bring it to the floor again.

That would suite them .

Your in WA arn`t you? Certainly wouldnt be trusting `anybody` there. Wouldnt trust anybody bar Bob Brown who would already be aware of course.

Are you suggesting this is raised on the floor of the State Government?

We cant do that. Its got to be Federal Parliment. { Perhaps I miss understood you.

There is `some` truth re the comments on petitions- except live exports.

They serve their purpose but they `alone` wont get the changes.

Have been invaulable. How else do you get it on record.

I am happy to discuss `some things re Rudds broken pre election promises on OLO but encourage you to email to discuss fully.

I will say this much.

WE `alone` will not nail Rudd. We must wait our time.

1 When to pounce.

2 What grounds may be used to call for a open public enquiry PCJC or Royal Commission.

3 How that may just slide in with others to combine with their own purposes.

4 What evidence is required.

5 What type of Statements are neccessay.-

6 From whom.

7 Whats hearsay

9 Whats admisable.

10 What Isnt.

Eg=Why did Kevin Rudd "refuse" to disclose to the Australian Public at the AWB Enquiry that the funds going to Saddamm Hussian were ALSO blood money from Live Animal Exports From Australia?

He was Shadow Minister of Trade- There for it was 'his' reasonsibilty.

Is there a "connection" between his "refusal" to inform the public about AWBs involement and his broken pre election promises and using Kerry Obrian as a patsy.
Why DID Kerry Obrian go on th ABC TV and make false election promises?

Who did he brief before going on ABC? Or did someone brief him?

Hi all
I think it is pointless raising the matter with any State government, because the response historically has been that even if an individual state chose to ban live exports, it would be over-ruled by the Commonwealth using the constitution. Bob Brown, as far as I know, can only raise questions in the Senate, and these questions need to be asked in the House of Representatives.

Andrew Bartlett may be able to provide advice on all this. Nothing can be done in that context anyway until Parliament resumes; all we can do is send individual letters to local members, and/or decsend on their doorsteps, also letters to Rudd, to Tony Burke, and to his opposition number, Nigel Scullion (both he and Burke stated strong support for live exports in the ABC's Rural News not long after the election). Scullion called for the government to state its position, and the next day, Burke did.

It's safe to assume that the major players have been provided with the documentary evidence by Animals Australia. With the assertion that AWB money was somehow tied up with live exports, you would really have to be able to substantiate that. If Kevin Rudd was the Opposition Trade Spokesman, someone in Queensland should be able to chase that up.

I heard that the Tasmanian government was (rightly) concerned about the mortality report that AA got on the last shipment out of there in February 2006, which said that Tasmanian sheep cannot cope with the extremes of equatorial crossings and it would be seeking further advice, however it allows animals to be sent interstate to be shipped out of Portland in Victoria. I'm told that the Minister down there was informed that if the Tasmanian government was allowing this to occur it was breaching its own Animal Welfare Act, and was therefore negligent/in dereliction of its duty. I haven't heard of any similar backdown in any other state though.
Nicky

PS False election promises? Politicians will say anything to get elected. I had thought better of Kerry O'Brien (who incidentally was not up for re-election this time). O'Brien kept shifting his position as the election got closer. It would be interesting to get to the bottom of that though. If he just did as he was told, he shouldn't have lost the portfolio, especially to someone who knows nothing about it (but has been visiting LOTS of farms!)
Nicky