The Gillard Government has today announced it will be providing up to $6 million as part of the fight against Hendra.
The Gillard Government understands there are community concerns around Hendra caused by recent developments in Queensland and Northern New South Wales.
The $6 million in committed funds will be used to better understand the virus through enhanced research.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, said the funding would be used to boost research into issues raised by the recent identified cases of the Hendra virus.
"This funding will go towards better understanding the virus in terms of its impact on:
- Human health;
- Animal health; and
- Environmental biodiversity."
The nation’s leading medical research body, the National Health and Medical Research Council, is allocating up to $3 million for urgent research to better understand and fight the Hendra Virus.
A further $3 million will be provided for Hendra virus research and impacts as part of a collaborative contribution across Government from the Agriculture, Innovation, and Environment portfolios.
“The research will examine the biology of the virus and will give governments and the authorities a clearer idea of the virus, its movements, how to combat it and how to manage it better.
“Although the risk to human health from recent identified cases has been considered low, it is still important to better understand this virus.”
This initiative is on top of work being done by Australia’s premier science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
The CSIRO is devoting around $6 million this year to Hendra-related research, including work on improved diagnostic tests, disease pathogenesis, and the development of a Hendra vaccine for horses.
Additionally, the CSIRO conducts emergency diagnostic testing for Hendra and other animal diseases at its Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, Victoria.
The Government’s funding will complement contributions of $3 million over three years from each of the New South Wales and Queensland Governments.
The Gillard Government, through the Agriculture, Health, Environment, and Innovation departments, will continue to work closely with the Hendra Virus Taskforce on this prioritised research.
More information on this urgent call for research is available here.