Media Release Media Release.
Truss Puts Foot in Mouth
This morning Sat 21 April 2001, on ABC radio, Warren Truss our cardboard cut out of a Federal Agriculture Minister finally acknowledged that our National Parks were full of Feral (wild) Pigs and that if Foot And Mouth disease ever infects them it will be catastrophic infection which will be spread all over Australia. He said, "If Foot and Mouth Disease were found in Feral Pigs it would be necessary to start a culling program to stop the spread". This casual attitude may be normal for a Minister of the Crown, but every normal, sane human being comprehends that by that time its to late. It would be over, our Primary Industry in Sheep and Cattle would be in tatters, once Foot and Mouth entered the Feral animals they could not be contained the harder you chase them the further they would go and spread the disease.
Feral Pigs Must be Eliminated Before Foot and Mouth Disease Infects Them
.Agricultural scientists for many years have known that the most likely entry of Foot and Mouth disease to Australia would not be from the well powdered down tourists at Australia’s Airports but from Pigs transported from our northern neighbours in small fishing boats, escaping and infecting the Feral Pigs in our northern regions. All Asian pigs are immune from Foot and Mouth but carry it all the same. Australia’s only hope is to eradicate its feral uncontrollable Feral animal population. We do not just have Feral Pigs, we have Feral cattle, horses, goats, camels and donkeys in uncountable proportions (many million) but the pigs due, to their lifestyle of abiding in water courses and swamps and just about desert conditions are the most wide spread.
We have no time, to infect them with a new virus, we have suffered many of these Bio- high tech failures for years. The environmentalist would be horrified if the government attempted to spread the thousands of tons of 1080 poison it would need to just scratch the surface of the Pig population, Dingos and Kangaroos cannot read the "Warning 1080 baits laid" signs.
The Feral Pig Population has been Multiplying Since Howard’s Gun Bans
Since John Howard and Warren Truss our trussed Minister imposed these Uninformed Gun Laws in 1996 the Feral Pig population numbers have gone sky high. Semi Auto rifles are the only way to eradicate large numbers as wild pigs are very fast moving. If the Government has any conscience to save Australia from Foot and Mouth disease, it must immediately allow the 500,000 recreational shooters from the Firearm Owners Association and the Sporting Shooters of Australia, (with a permit situation) access into all National Parks, Aboriginal Reserves and Crown Land. The Government has sown the wind, with its gun bans, if it does not want to "reap the Whirlwind" it has to return ‘semi-autos and reward shooters with free ammunition in return for Pig snouts and tails.
This and many other problems with these Un-Informed Gun Laws was put before the Government in 1996, but ignored. If they ignore this final chance, to save Australia’s Agriculture Industry, Australia will remember their infamy for eternity.
Ron Owen
Natioanl President FOAA.
