Subject: EI LEVY


ALL HORSE OWNERS NEED TO TAKE URGENT ACTION!!

On Thursday the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Tony Burke introduced a
bill into Parliament to force recognized Breed and Performance Associations to
collect a fee ($100?) on all new registrations, to help pay for the costs of
fighting the EI outbreak. By pushing this thru the parliament at this time he is
pre-empting any findings by the Callinan Inquiry and also his own newly
announced 'Independent Review of AQUIS', and will be forcing a very small
percentage of Australian horse owners to bear the huge costs of fighting the
outbreak.

EI has been categorized as category 4. This means industry pays 80%, government
20%. The horse industry is arguing that the disease should be category 3 or
50:50 share. Category 4 diseases have only limited socioeconomic impact and are
production diseases that only affect the horse industry. We (the horse
industry) say the disease has a dramatic socioeconomic impact and affects many
more people and businesses than the horse industry. The proposed levy is only
on owners of registered horses but the benefit of control extends to owners of
all horses and to people outside the horse industry, including government who
are major beneficiaries of wagering income.

It is iniquitous that we should be required to pay for the control of the recent
outbreak, particularly if the Callinan Enquiry finds that AQIS was negligent and
responsible! AQIS have regulations which protect them even if they are proven
negligent. Therefore it will be a moral and political issue.

PLEASE DO NOT SIT ON YOUR HANDS!! CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MP's AND THE MINISTER AND
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, AND PASS THIS EMAIL ON TO EVERYONE YOU CAN
THINK OF WHO MIGHT HELP US TO PREVENT THIS BILL AND OTHER SIMILAR REGULATIONS
BEING PASSED!

EMAILS TO: (polite please)......

THE MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, MR TONY BURKE...

Tony.Burke.MP@...

WITH COPIES TO THE SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE,

MR NIGEL SCULLION

senator.scullion@...








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