Alert in Australia

Press, 13 February 1981, Page 4

Alert in Australia

NZPA correspondent ■J Sydney ..The Australian health authorities have immediately stepped up quarantine precautions for passengers arriving from New Zealand after the suspected outbreak.

“We are taking normal Interim precautions” said Mr K. Doyle, assistant directorgeneral in charge of animal quarantine at the Australian Health Department in Canberra. “There wilLbe stepped-up in vestiga'tions but it will not passengers, but it will not cause any severe inconvenience,” he said. It would mean closer checks on passengers* shoes and baggase ,in the same way as if they had arrived in Australia fro m country which normally had those types of diseases, said Mr Doyle. He said that trade in live animals and meat products between New Zealand and Australia would also immc-

diately cease, as the Nwr Zealand authorities woultF not issue export certificates. ; In the last year, New Zealand exported $lB million worth of live animals and meat products to Australia. By far the greatest proportion of this was racehorses — 1500, worth $12,5 million. There was also a profitable trade in Eve cattle and sheep, about $1.5 million worth. Mr Doyle said that, in the meantime, until the type of suspected disease was clarified, imports of racehorses from New Zealand would be stopped. Australia has not had an outbreak of foot-and-mouth for almost 150 years.