Avian Influenza

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding avian influenza.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: On 6 February this year, the Minister for Primary Industries replied to a question taken on notice on 16 November 2023 regarding the monitoring of wild populations of birds for strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza, which has been spreading around the globe in the last two years. The reply noted that PIRSA continues to be actively involved in the National Avian Influenza Wild Bird Surveillance Program and that the Bolivar wastewater lagoons in the Coorong are key sites for surveillance and sampling of wild bird faeces. The minister in her reply noted that these samples were taken quarterly.

Recently, two different strains of avian influenza have been reported in Victoria, including two egg farms implicated in the outbreak of a H7N3 strain, where over 500,000 chickens have so far been destroyed. It is expected that this outbreak will have an impact on the shelf price of eggs into the future. My questions to the minister are:

1. Have surveillance measures of wild bird populations now increased above quarterly sample testing as a result of the Victorian H7N3 outbreak? If not, is the minister or her department considering more frequent testing of wild bird populations?

2. Have the minister and her colleague the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water received an update from the National Avian Influenza Wild Bird Steering Group since the H7N3 outbreak?

3. How have the minister and her department ensured that all poultry and egg producers in South Australia have the necessary tools to reduce the risk of infection spread and transmission should an outbreak occur here?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:31): I thank the honourable member for her question. My advice is that on 22 May 2024 highly pathogenic avian influenza H7N3 was confirmed at an egg farm near Meredith, Victoria. Importantly, this is not the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain causing poultry and wildlife mortalities overseas. On 24 May, a second Victorian farm, in Terang, was confirmed with HPAI H7N9, and on 3 June 2024 a third Victorian farm, at Lethbridge, with H7N3.

I am advised that people cannot become infected with HPAI by consuming cooked chicken meat or eggs and there have been no HPAI detections in South Australian poultry. Avian influenza is a highly infectious disease caused by influenza A viruses, which are viruses capable of infecting birds and mammals, including humans. Strains are described as of low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI). HPAI infections can result in severe symptoms and up to 100 per cent mortality in domestic poultry.

Importantly, eggs and poultry products from the supermarket are safe to consume, provided they are handled and cooked according to standard food handling practices. Agriculture Victoria is responding to the outbreaks with the aim of eradicating the disease by depopulation. Controls are in place within restricted areas and broader control area buffer zones established around the infected farms, which have been quarantined. A housing requirement for all birds within the restricted areas and control areas has been issued, with movement permits required for all poultry premises within these areas.

Surveillance activities have been completed for premises linked to the Meredith farm, with negative results. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) maintains ongoing communications with the key poultry industry representatives, and notification of poultry producers and veterinarians regarding the current Victorian situation and the importance of enhanced biosecurity and early reporting.

PIRSA also continues to undertake surveillance and enhance its preparedness activities. I am very pleased that the $6.8 million in funding announced by our state government in December 2022 to enhance the preparedness for emergency animal disease outbreaks is assisting the department to support industry, government and the community to prepare for potential impacts to both domestic and wild bird populations.