The biosecurity systems in Australia are superior to those of New Zealand, ACT Agriculture Spokesman MP Gerry Eckhoff said today.

“I have written to the Minister of Biosecurity to ask why New Zealand does not follow Australia’s example with ongoing education campaigns, such as ‘Protect Australian Livestock Week’, which has been in place for four years.

“Australia checks every container for contamination. Why doesn’t New Zealand do the same? The risk to both countries is surely the same.

“The slogan of ‘Look, Check and Ask a Vet’ is exactly what New Zealand should be doing. Once again, Australia has beaten us to the draw.

“It is time to realise just how important disease control and education is to the New Zealand economy," Gerry Eckhoff said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>