AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SCIENTISTS - PRELIMINARY AND FINAL EXAMINATIONS

Applications are invited for Preliminary and Final Mem- bership Examinations, February 1983.

Preliminary examinations may be taken at local cities if suitable venues can be arranged.

f ina l examinations will be held in Brisbane, Australia, and Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Closing date for applicarions: 1 September 1982. NO APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DATE.

Fellowship (applications closed 31 March 1982).

The requirements for preliminary examinations have been altered recently and intending applicants for both preliminary and final membership examinations are advised to seek up-to- date details and application forms from: Acting Chief Exam- iner (Dr E. W. Moodie), Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Queensland, 96 Pinjarra Rd, Pinjarra Hills, Queensland, 4069

BOVINE BRUCELLOSIS AND TUBERCULOSIS ERADICATION CAMPAIGN

The commonwealth government is to continue to provide financial assistance towards the eradication of brucellosis and tuberculosis after 30 June 1984, when the current eradication programs are due to expire.

In addition, the commonwealth government will increase its contribution rate from 50% to 75% of net costs, for slaughtered tuberculosis reactors to bring i t in line with the 75% compensation rate for slaughtered brucellosis reactors.

The Industries Assistance Commission has found that there was no longer any justification for the compensation rates payable by the government to differ between bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis, particularly as the final stage of tuberculosis

eradication was likely to be more difficult and costly for producers.

Government ministers have said that all states have either already achieved provisional brucellosis freedom, or are very close to achieving i t . Tuberculosis is all but eradicated from southern Australia, but remains a problem in northern pastoral areas. The government has decided to make available loan finance to the states and the Northern Territory for the purpose of ensuring that, where unexpected resurgences of either disease occur in previously free areas, total herd destocking is carried out promptly. Loan finance will also continue to be made available as in the past to assist with campaign costs.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH LABORATORY SECURITY ASSESSMENT GROUP

A special group is to be formed in the near future to test and monitor the microbiological security of the $121 million Australian National Animal Health Laboratory (ANAHL) at Geelong, in Victoria. The laboratory is due to come into operation in 1984. The special group, to be called the ANAHL Security Assessment Group, will be established by the Com- monwealth Department of Health. The government is estab- lishing the group to ensure that the biological containment systems and procedures in ANAHL are adequate. Microbiol- ogical security testing on ANAHL is scheduled to begin about the middle of 1983 and continue for some 12 months.

At present CSIRO is carrying out the Government’s under- taking to have full consultation with Australia’s livestock industries before foot-and-mouth disease virus is imported to ANAHL. It is proposed that the ANAHL Security Assessment Group will be made up of a member of the executive of the National Farmer’s Federation, one representative each from the Department of Health, the National Biological Standards Laboratory, the Victorian Department of Agriculture (pref- erably also representing the Australian Agriculture Council), and CSIRO (as operator of ANAHL) and an overseas consultant with special skills in microbiological containment systems.

QUARANTINE CAMPAIGN SUCCEEDING

A survey of the National Quarantine Publicity Campaign has shown that i t is succeeding in increasing public awareness of quarantine. Studies by Frances Hellier Consumer Research Pty Ltd of Sydney over the past 2 years have assessed the impact of the campaign started I8 months ago and spear- headed by the conservationist and television personality, Mr Harry Butler, CBE. The studies show that returning travellers

Ausrralian Veterinary Journal , Vol. 58, May, 1982

have a greater understanding of quarantine objectives and risks. Comparisons made with records of Australians travelling abroad over the period showed a decline of 46% from the 1979 levels in the number of cases where seizure of animal products was necessary, a reduction of 58% in seizures of meat and meat products and a reduction in seizures of milk products of nearly 50%.

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