The lives of 23 people are currently in limbo as Labor refuses to do anything to stop the spread of the potentially fatal Hendra Virus.
Labor is once again neglecting regional and rural Australia. Although the virus was first discovered in the Brisbane CBD, Hendra Virus has now spread to southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. The virus has killed four of the seven humans who have contracted it, half of whom were veterinarians. Despite these deadly statistics, Labor has failed to meet the commitments outlined by the Coalition at the last election to protect our veterinarians and their staff who are at risk of being infected by the disease. The Coalition committed to funding personal protection equipment for vets and their assistants, which would have cost about $100 each. This equipment would be particularly important for our private vets who work in the exclusion zones. The Coalition also committed to fast-tracking the Hendra Virus vaccine for horses, and cutting the red tape to ensure it is available in the field sooner rather than later. When the vaccine is available, we also need to make sure that horses attending events such as polocrosse, campdrafts or going to stud are vaccinated and that they have proof of their vaccination in the form of a microchip or similar technology. Finally, the monoclonal antibodies used to fight this disease must be made more freely available to the people who have been exposed to Hendra Virus. Currently, it is Queensland Health who decides which people receive the antibodies. We need to make sure those who have been in contact with the disease are involved in the decision-making process.
Labor must put human lives before bats and flying foxes. There are now 23 people waiting anxiously to find out if they have contracted the disease. What else has to happen before Labor will sit up and take notice?
The Hon Bruce Scott MP,
Federal Member for Maranoa
