Horse Owners Ensuring An Emergency Response

EADRA UPDATE: There has been a lot of activity in the last 12 days and things will only get busier to achieve the DECEMBER 1 deadline, set by Government, for a submission supported by the majority of Australian Horse Industry on being a signatory to EADRA and agreeing to one or more levy mechnanisms.

A quick summary of what’s gone on before. The Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement is a legally binding deed between the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments and those animal industries that are signatories to the Agreement, setting out what will happen if a serious disease occurs. The benefit of this Agreement is a guaranteed coordinated response, underwritten by the Commonwealth Government, to deal with the disease and its control from the beginning. How? The Agreement has already set out who will do what and how it will be paid for so there is no delay arguing these points when a disease emergency occurs. All effort is put into the disease response rather than the negotiation. The animal sectors affected by the disease also have an important say in how the disease control is run and how it is paid for. The animal industry that benefits from the disease being controlled, pays back, to the Commonwealth, its share of the cost of getting all of the special resources required to combat the disease. The actual amount is determined after the disease is eradicated or managed. The category of the disease (there are four) determines the proportion of the cost paid by the industry. The payment is by a levy and the payment period is up to 10 years. The money is only used to pay back the costs for the disease response. This was all explained in the first newsletter – if you missed a copy, let us know by return email (horse.EADRA@industry.nsw.gov.au). Horse Levy Working Group
This group of horse sector representatives has been formed to pull together a list of potential levy options for you, as horse owners, to consider. There are Terms of Reference for how this group will operate and you can find these, plus a list of the members of the group on the Animal Health Australia website www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au - go to the “Horse Owners and EADRA” section. During the week starting 19 JULY, a list of potential levy options will be circulated to as many horse associations, sectors and groups as possible. The information accompanying this list will assist you in deciding what you think should be the preferred levy option. Each levy option must comply with the Australian Government Levy Principles and Guidelines. This means that:
• it must be supported by the majority of the horse industry
• it must be equitable between levy payers and cover most of the horse industry
• it must impose the lowest possible ‘red tape’ on businesses
• it must satisfy transparency and accountability requirements (it can be audited). The levy is zero-based - no money is collected until a disease emergency actually occurs. We’ll need you to discuss these options with your horse groups and give us feedback by the first week of August. – see below how best to do that. Keep a look out for this information. Your response is vital! Have you had a meeting yet?
Please make the EADRA and the levy an important item on any meeting of your organisation, society or committee agenda within the next 4 weeks and inform us of the discussion and outcomes of the meeting. To make sure that you capture all the relevant outcomes, please use the ‘proforma’ provided on our website (see weblink below and go to ‘Submission information’). By using the proforma you can ensure that all the information that the Government requires as evidence of your support is presented. If the matter has been recently discussed, please tell us the outcomes. You can send the form back by: email to Horse.EADRA@industry.nsw.gov.au – attention Dr Diane Ryan
fax to(02) 46406300
mail to: Dr Diane Ryan, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, PMB 4008, Narellan NSW 2567. {sidebar id=3}Where to get information?
The website Animal Health Australia.com and click on the Horse Industry and EADRA box) was set up to provide independent, factual advice on EADRA, possible levies and the submission plus answers to questions you might have about this process. If your question is not there already, send it to Horse.EADRA@industry.nsw.gov.au and it will be answered directly back to you plus the question and answer will be put on the website. Who to contact? Do you have any other questions about this process? We can be contacted at: Dr Diane Ryan, Regional Veterinary Officer, Industry & Investment NSW - Horse.EADRA@industry.nsw.gov.au Dr Mike Bond, Animal Health Australia mbond@animalhealthaustralia.com.au Kim Percy, Animal Health Australia KPercy@animalhealthaustralia.com.au