Media statement supplied to Sun Herald (QLD) 21 Oct 07
From Biosecurity Queensland's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Ron Glanville:
As part of the response to the equine influenza (EI) outbreak, Biosecurity Queensland in the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries has undertaken a major communication and education program to help horse owners and carers work with us to protect their horses and to protect Queensland from the potential impacts of EI.
The program to date has involved more than half a million dollars worth of newspaper advertising, dozens of media releases and media interviews, an e-newsletter with 28,000 subscribers, a website which is updated daily, countless community service announcements on ABC and commercial radio, roadside signage and public meetings. We also have six Community Resource Centres established in areas affected by EI where local residents can talk to staff about issues related to EI.
But the feedback from many people at the meetings and in their contacts with our call centre have indicated they wanted more detail and many wanted information in hard copy - not electronically.
In response, the community engagement section of our biosecurity team prepared and distributed 235,000 packages of information to all households near infected premises across the Brisbane Valley from Gatton to Ipswich, Esk to Boonah, through Logan, Tamborine, Beaudesert, Warwick, Clifton, Millmerran, the Western suburbs of Brisbane as well as Belmont, Capalaba, Thornlands and Gumdale.
The package contained a cover letter and three fact sheets, including information about the virus, advice on what horse owners should do to protect their horses and a page devoted to explaining the assistance packages that are available to individuals and families facing hardship as a result of EI.
The cost for printing and collating the material, the envelopes and delivery amounted to less than $127,000. This translates to a cost of 54cents per household. From start to finish, the project took less than a week - so it was extremely fast and effective. Further mailouts in other areas are being planned.
