The DPI said the pain and hardship suffered by those in the many equine disciplines around Scone was real, but the cost to Australia of ceasing control measures would be six times greater.

The DPI asked more than 50 people at its public meeting to consider what the long term implications of EI in Australia might be and “maintain the rage” and eradicate it.

The purple zone of Scone represents a small percentage of Australia’s landmass. The DPI asked that people keep consider the inconvenience others would experience if it were to break containment.

“We decided that short term pain is better than living with it forever,” DPI Scone livestock officer Todd Andrews said, to suggestions that control measures should cease.

To prevent the agony of EI being dragged out, the DPI urged people to take all care to prevent the spread of the virus. Stake holders at the meeting were vocal on this point, stating that all people – not just those associated with horses – needed to cooperate.

Deputy Chief veterinarian Bill McKinnon agreed with the point.

“We would hope in time that all members of the public would be educated to prevent the spread of the flu,” he said.

Dr McKinnon said efforts were now focused on establishing buffer zones and vaccinating horses within it to minimise the chance they could spread any further.

The successfulness of this will be gauged by constant monitoring.

If successful, the DPI said it would then be a case of waiting for the virus to run its course within restricted access zones.

They did, however, refuse to rule out the possibility that some horses would not contract the virus.

While the outcomes might not have been to everyone’s liking, there was a sense of appreciation that the DPI had brought stakeholders in on discussions.

Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation owner-proprietor Dale Fitzgerald has lost her entire income since the lockdown.

And to compound the situation, she said the EI outbreak had come after five years of drought.

But rather than calling for an end to control measures, Mrs Fitzgerald backed the eradication strategy.

She cited ongoing annual vaccination costs of about $2000 for her five horses if the virus took hold in Australia.

• For more on the DPI meeting see page 3