Nick McKim MR
The Tasmanian Greens today said that after an acknowledgement yesterday by Director of Public Health Dr Roscoe Taylor that it is lucky that there hasn’t been a death from Tasmania’s Salmonella Outbreaks,[1] it is time for Pitts Poultry, which has been linked to the last seven Salmonella outbreaks in Tasmania since 2005, to be closed to protect public health.
The Tasmanian Greens today said that after an acknowledgement yesterday by Director of Public Health Dr Roscoe Taylor that it is lucky that there hasn’t been a death from Tasmania’s Salmonella Outbreaks,[1] it is time for Pitts Poultry, which has been linked to the last seven Salmonella outbreaks in Tasmania since 2005, to be closed to protect public health.
Greens Deputy Leader and Consumer Affairs Spokesperson Nick McKim MP demanded that Health Minister Lara Giddings assume responsibility for the government’s response to Salmonella outbreaks as Primary Industries Minister David Llewellyn has clearly failed in his duties due to the conflict of interest created by his Department providing industry support services to the same sector it supposedly regulates.
Mr McKim reminded Ms Giddings that in response to a previous Salmonella outbreak Dr Taylor told a Parliamentary Committee last year that “…clearly the quality assurance program and other measures that have been put in place by the Department of Primary Industries had not protected the public at that point”, and said that matters have only got worse since then,”[2].
“We have one battery farming operation which has been accused of unacceptable animal welfare standards, and linked to the last seven Salmonella outbreaks, yet the government is refusing to take the necessary steps to safeguard public health and animal welfare,” Mr McKim said.
“If the government cannot guarantee no future Salmonella outbreaks, it should at least do everything it can to minimise their occurrence, but even on this test the government has failed.”
“The government’s response has been a disjointed shambles, and I can only agree with the criticism of the department of Primary Industries made last year by Director of Public Health in response to a previous Salmonella outbreak.”
“Last year the Director of Public Health accused the Department of Primary Industries of failing to protect the public, which is in complete contrast to Mr Llewellyn’s statement last week that “Prior outbreaks have resulted in a robust regulatory response from DPIW…”
“The two agencies are clearly in conflict on this issue, with confusing and contradictory statements coming from each agency, and it is time that Ms Giddings stepped in to assume responsibility from the incompetent and conflicted David Llewellyn.”
“We can no longer rely on luck to protect public health. We need strong action which should start with the closure of Pitts Poultry to protect public health.”
“I am putting the government on notice that Tasmanian lives remain at risk unless stronger action is taken to protect public health, including by commissioning an independent review of the government’s response to the series of Salmonella outbreaks, and the Health Minister assuming responsibility for the regulating of the egg industry,” Mr McKim said.
