Dear John

Similar to the COVID-19 pandemic and the UK's 'mad cow' disease outbreak, Victorian authorities are now dealing with an avian influenza outbreak, also known as 'bird flu'. They are quarantining farms and culling hundreds of thousands of chickens.

This outbreak is affecting egg supplies nationwide, leading to restricted egg sales.

Thankfully, the outbreak isn’t as severe as foot-and-mouth disease or Karnal bunt, a serious wheat disease. Australia has a strict quarantine system to protect against pests and diseases.

For instance, the 1956 Melbourne Olympic equestrian events were held in Sweden due to these strict quarantine rules.

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Fear not, though, this Gold Coast penthouse-living twit is in charge of our agricultural sector (for now).  

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However, with increasing global trade, Australia’s biosecurity risks have also grown. Recent high-profile breaches include the varroa mite, which threatens bee populations crucial for pollination, and fire ants, which pose risks to humans and animals.

There’s also white spot disease in Queensland prawn farms over recent years.

The shift towards ‘free range’ eggs, driven by animal welfare concerns, has made the industry more vulnerable to diseases. Chickens kept outside are more likely to encounter infected birds and may not get enough nutrition to stay healthy.

Free range eggs are also more expensive to produce and buy. This situation might lead to more people raising chickens at home to ensure affordable fresh eggs.

One Nation believes Australia can improve its biosecurity. Currently, only one per cent of the eight million shipping containers arriving each year are inspected visually. We propose doubling these inspections and funding them with fines for biosecurity breaches.

We also want more resources for managing and eradicating existing pests, such as the Mediterranean fruit fly, which harms fruit production in Western Australia.

One Nation is also opposing animal rights activists who aim to shut down Australia’s livestock industries, risking thousands of jobs. These activists have also made the egg industry more vulnerable by campaigning against caged egg farming.

Their ultimate goal is to make eating meat or dairy illegal in Australia. We support stronger laws and penalties against activists who illegally invade farms and abattoirs, posing risks to workers, farmers, and animals.

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Senator Hanson is in WA standing up for sheep farmers and the live export trade. Watch her passionate defence of the industry on Chanel 7 earlier today. 

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Our West Australian team are going from strength to strength as they prepare for the election in the new year, which will include fighting the live sheep ban. 

Our campaign director, Rodd Caddies, has has car wrapped and is ready for campaign action. Pauline Hanson is in town to meet locals and hear their views about issues important to locals. View our WA events here: 

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It is the end of the financial year, and we are checking in on our supporters each week until July 1 to ask if they can do us a favour and chip in to help us run our various campaigns?

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Queensland Tourism has released a campaign that involves Bluey and Robert Irwin enticing people to Queensland. Tune into this week's 'Please Explain' episode to see exactly what tourists can expect when they come to the Sunshine State. 

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
https://www.onenation.org.au/