Footrot

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): Supplementary: then why are constituents in the South-East telling me that PIRSA inspectors are going to saleyards with footrot testing equipment and have increased their footrot surveillance program in recent times?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:32): I think that is kind of the same question that I just answered.

The Hon. N.J. Centofanti: Well, you didn't answer it.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I certainly did answer it but, again, I guess the honourable member wasn't listening very carefully. Perhaps I will repeat it for her benefit. PIRSA staff attend saleyards for a range of regulatory activities, including traceability requirements, the detection of lousy sheep and the detection of animal welfare problems.

PIRSA also undertake important congregation surveillance of saleyards for emergency animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease. These activities continue at the weekly South-East sales, and any footrot suspected by PIRSA inspectors due to observing, for example, limping sheep, or which is reported to PIRSA inspectors, will be investigated. I would have thought it was fairly clear that if something is to be investigated then the testing kits are required to be held by those people investigating.