Pre-Animal Health Committee 16 Face-to-Face, October 2009
Welcome to the Animal Health Committee (AHC) newsletter for animal industry bodies. The aim of Vetcommuniqué is to provide a communication link between AHC and client industry bodies.
AHC membership comprises the Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) of the Commonwealth, states and territories, and representatives from Biosecurity Australia and CSIRO. Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), Animal Health Australia (AHA) and the New Zealand CVO attend AHC as participants. AHC also meets with industry representatives on specific items from time to time.
Dr Rob Rahaley is the South Australian Chief Veterinary Officer and AHC Chair for 2009.
AHC next meets 12-14 October 2009 in Hobart, Tasmania. AHC last met on 11-14 May 2009 in Ballina, NSW.
Issues for discussion at AHC16 Face-to-Face
Industry involvement at AHC16 face-to-face
AHC16 face-to-face is having a joint session and dinner with industry on Tuesday, 13 October 2009.
Representatives from the following industry groups have been confirmed as attending AHC:
- Cattle Council
- Australian Pork Limited
- Aquatic industries
National Livestock Identification System – Sheep and Goats (NLIS [S&G])
Primary Industries Standing Committee (PISC) has commissioned a consultant, through AHA, to form a working group, including industry representation, to examine approaches that meet the National Traceability Performance Standards (NTPS) and assess the costs and benefits of each. Further AHC discussions will occur pending the report from the working group.
Integration of Aquatic Animal Health Responsibilities into AHC
The scope of AHC’s work now includes responsibility for aquatic animal health issues. AHC will be assisted on aquatic animal health technical issues by the Sub-Committee on Aquatic Animal Health (SCAAH), and the Sub-Committee on Animal Health Laboratory Standards (SCAHLS) will advise on aquatic animal diagnostic and laboratory issues. In addition, a National Aquatic Animal Health Industry Reference Group (NAAH-IRG) has been formed and this group will liaise with AHC to provide industry input on aquatic issues.
AQUAPLAN 2005-2010
AQUAPLAN is Australia’s national strategic plan for aquatic animal health. The strategy is to build and enhance capacity for the management of aquatic animal health in Australia by developing a national approach to emergency disease preparedness and response and to the overall management of aquatic animal health. The plan is a joint government-industry initiative that aims to maximise Australia’s ability to control aquatic animal disease outbreaks, maintain market access, support quality assurance and improve the productivity and sustainability of Australia’s aquatic animal production industries. AHC will be considering an approach to reviewing the AQUAPLAN.
AQUAVETPLAN manual endorsement procedure
Like AUSVETPLAN, AQUAVETPLAN is a series of technical response plans that describe the proposed Australian approach to an emergency animal disease (EAD) event, in this case in aquatic animals. Because AHC now has responsibility for endorsing aquatic EAD response plans, the AQUAVETPLAN manual endorsement process must be revised.
Equine influenza
PIMC EI Expert Review Panel
The panel’s report on the review being undertaken on future possible response scenarios for equine influenza and their economic impact is soon to be released and will go to PISC as an out of session paper.
National Review/AUSVETPLAN
AHA will give an update on the implementation of the recommendations from the Report of the National Review of Australia’s Response to the 2007 outbreak of equine influenza (AHA, March 2009) and on the revision of the AUSVETPLAN Disease Strategy Manual (EI).
Newcastle Disease Management Plan 2008-2012
AHA will provide AHC with an update on the implementation of the Newcastle Disease Management Plan 2008-2012 whose goal it is to reduce the spread of precursor viruses through the application of poultry industry biosecurity plans and the strategic application and monitoring of vaccination using live V4 and inactivated vaccine. The plan includes elements designed to reduce the amount of vaccination required and to ultimately lead to a risk-based exit strategy that may result in a minimal amount of vaccination or no vaccination in chicken flocks at the end of 2012.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 working group
The Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases asked AHC to set up a working group to develop recommendations for a national approach to the management of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in pig enterprises. The plan will be based on the minimum intervention to deliver the objectives of containment and elimination of the disease from enterprises whilst meeting public health, industry and domestic and export marketing requirements.
The working group is chaired by DAFF with membership from the Office of the Australian CVO, AQIS, Australian Pork Limited, the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aging, NSW, Vic and AHA. The working group will report to AHC.
Bovine Tuberculosis EADRA schedule working group
The working group will be providing an interim draft report to AHC on the work of informing AHC on technical issues surrounding the decision on whether bovine tuberculosis should be recommended on technical grounds for inclusion without qualification in the EADRA from December 2010.
Western Australian Chief Veterinary Officer
Tony Higgs has been appointed the new CVO for Western Australia after the retirement of Peter Buckman earlier this year. Tony is already an active member of AHC.
Key Contacts
- Dr Rob Rahaley (AHC Chair), South Australian CVO, phone: 08 8207 7970
- Dr Emma Rooke (AHC Secretary), switchboard: 02 6272 3933
- Dr Andy Carroll, Australian CVO, switchboard: 02 6272 3933
- Dr Hugh Millar, Victorian CVO, phone: 03 9217 4247
- Dr Bruce Christie, New South Wales CVO, phone: 02 6391 3717
- Dr Brian Radunz, Northern Territory CVO, phone: 08 8999 2130
- Dr Ron Glanville, Queensland CVO, phone: 07 3239 3525
- Dr Rod Andrewartha, Tasmanian CVO, phone: 03 6233 6836
- Dr Tony Higgs, Western Australian CVO, phone: 08 9892 8479
- Dr Will Andrew, Australian Capital Territory CVO, phone: 02 6207 2357
- Dr Robyn Martin, Biosecurity Australia, phone: 02 6272 5444
- Dr Ann McDonald, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, phone: 02 6272 5917
- Dr Martyn Jeggo, Australian Animal Health Laboratories, phone: 03 5227 5511
- Dr Eva-Maria Bernoth, Animal Health Australia, phone: 02 6203 3944