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MEDIA RELEASE
30 January 2008
White light at end of EI tunnel
Plans are underway to have all of Queensland categorised as a White Zone on June 30, 2008.
Queensland Racing Limited’s (QRL) Chief Operations Manager Mr Malcolm Tuttle today confirmed that it was intended that all of Queensland be rezoned as a White Zone, in terms of Equine Influenza (EI), by June, 2008.
“With Queensland having White status in June, we would be regarded on the same footing as other States and Territories in Australia that have been free from EI, thus freeing up horse movement completely interstate,” Mr Tuttle said.
“In terms of achieving an ‘all White’ status in both New South Wales and Queensland, various transitions to the existing zone structure had to occur and the timing of these changes [as outlined in the attached table] is contingent on no new cases of EI.”
Mr Tuttle said the last reported case of EI occurred on December 25, 2007 and was quick to point out the significance of the 25th, highlighting it was on August 25 last year that the industry became aware of the EI outbreak in Queensland.
“Movement protocols will continue to apply until the ultimate zone transition from Green Zone to White, although it has been confirmed that work will continue to reduce restrictions where possible,” Mr Tuttle said.
In that regard, Mr Tuttle encouraged connections to continue to visit the QRL website where additional information regarding movement conditions would be posted as soon as it became available from the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries.
“The forecast changes to the various zones in Queensland, and New South Wales, were contingent on no new cases of EI,” Mr Tuttle said.
QUEENSLAND Racing media release: January 30
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