Question Time

Avian Influenza

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:26): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on guidelines for South Australian egg producers and avian influenza.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Current standards and guidelines produced by the ACCC for egg producers state that for free-range eggs, the producer, and I quote, 'should allow hens continuous and unrestricted access to an outdoor range during daylight hours'. However, it also goes on to state that, and I quote:

Egg producers may still prevent their hens from accessing the outdoor range for a period that is not unreasonable when the hens are undergoing nest box training, poor weather conditions would endanger them, they would be exposed to predators, they are being medicated or otherwise cared for, and in other 'exceptional circumstances' that pose a significant risk to the hens' health or safety.

Across both Victoria and New South Wales, we are seeing a growing number of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Housing orders have been put in place for outbreak zones in both Victoria and New South Wales, and Queensland egg producers have been calling for a voluntary housing order as a preventative measure. So my questions to the minister are:

1. Has the minister been approached by South Australian producers in regard to a voluntary housing order?

2. Does the minister consider these outbreaks interstate as exceptional circumstances? And, if so, does the minister support egg producers here in South Australia preventing their hens from accessing the outdoors during these periods of high risk for avian influenza?

3. Will the minister advocate to her federal colleagues to review the standards and guidelines for free-range eggs in light of the unfolding spread of avian influenza and the indisputable evidence that increased risk of spread in free-range chickens is due to access to wild birds?

4. Is the minister concerned about the animal welfare implications of those birds having to undergo mass euthanasia due to avian influenza?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:28): I thank the honourable member for her question. Her first question was have I been approached about a voluntary housing order? I certainly haven't been approached directly. I will take on notice to see whether there have been any inquiries to that extent through the department.

In terms of avian influenza overall, I think it is certainly an evolving situation. The honourable member referred to the fact that there are outbreaks in New South Wales as well as in Victoria, although my advice is that they are two different strains. The ones within Victoria are connected to each other and I think, from when I last had my briefing, those in New South Wales are connected to each other but not to the Victorian outbreaks.

It is a continuing and evolving situation. In terms of the guidelines, review of guidelines are on a national basis and usually take a very long time, and the outcomes of the most recent review were just within the past 12 to 18 months. I think there are certainly procedures in place, processes in place nationally around dealing with all sorts of diseases, and this is no exception.