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28 February 2008
Horse Disease Response Levy Bill 2008
The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Queensland Association is outraged at the levy on horse registrations proposed in Horse Disease Response Levy Bill.
“We are against any type of levy imposed at any level on the thoroughbred breeders of Queensland or Australia for that matter,” TBQA President Bob Frappell said.
“The Queensland breeders have been hit particularly hard by the response to the Equine Influenza crisis both financially and emotionally.
“The application of this Bill to the recent EI outbreak highlights many inequities of the Federally funded CHAPS payment scheme.
“Breeders who received none or very limited financial assistance from CHAPS, will be the ones required to pay back the costs of EI through horse registrations (usually of foals).
“We have had no real say in the response or the speed at which vaccine was made available.
“This problem was dumped in our lap and now they want us to pay for it.
“There is little doubt that the Callinan Inquiry due on 24th April will highlight the real cause of the outbreak.
“The TBQA calls on the Federal Government to compensate the thoroughbred breeders’ of Queensland and New South Wales for the financial disaster they have suffered not impose and inequitable and unfair levy which will further exacerbate our plight,” Frappell ended.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Bob Frappell
President, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Queensland Ass. (TBQA)
0411 398 737
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