Aust Vet J Vol 77, No 6, June 1999 349

News

MANAGING EDITOR DENNIS RINGROSE

SCIENTIFIC EDITORJOUKO KOPPINEN

CLINICAL EDITORDAVID WATSON

D E S I G NDENMEAD DESIGN STUDIO

NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGERTONKIN MEDIA

PROFESSIONAL ADVERTISEMENTS C O O R D I N A T O R

VERONICA KELLS

BOARD MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR P U B L I C A T I O N S

IAN DENNEY

AUSTRALIAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERBARBARA HORSFIELD

BUSINESS MANAGERDAN HUTCHINSON

AVA BOARDPRESIDENT GEOFF NIETHE, VICE PRESIDENT

ROGER CLARKE, PRESIDENT ELECT GARTH MCGILVRAY,BOARD MEMBERS BILL MORGAN,

JONICA NEWBY, IAN DENNEY, JO TOIA, SAM HAYNES ANDNICK KANNEGIETER.

PRINTED BY VERITAGE PRESS

The Australian Veterinary Journal (AVJ) is the official journal of the Aus-tralian Veterinary Association. It is produced each month and is dis-tributed to members of the AVA and to subscribers. The publisher, TheAustralian Veterinary Association, does not hold itself responsible for thestatements made in the AVJ. Unless so stated, material in the AVJ d o e snot reflect the endorsement, official attitude or position of the AustralianVeterinary Association or the Editors. Advertisers are responsible forcomplying with the Trade Practices Act 1974, as amended.

C O N T R I B U T I O N SNews and general correspondenceNews items and general correspondence should be submitted to theManaging Editor, AVA House, 134-136 Hampden Rd, Artarmon NSW2064, Australia or PO Box 371 Artarmon NSW 1570 Australia. Tele-phone (02) 9411 2733, fax (02) 9411 5089, email editor@ava.com.au

Scientific sectionArticles for the Scientific Reports section of the AVJ should be sub-mitted to The Scientific Editor, AVA House, 272 Brunswick Rd,Brunswick Victoria 3056. Telephone (03) 9387 2982, fax (03) 93880112, email avjsc@ava.com.au

Clinical section:Articles for the Clinical Section should be submitted to The Editor,Clinical Section, AVA House, 272 Brunswick Rd, Brunswick Victoria3056. Telephone (03) 9387 2982, fax (03) 9388 0112, emaila v j s c @ a v a . c o m . a u

Non-member subscriptionsNon-members pay $305 a year for subscription to the AVJ. C o n t a c tPam Young at the AVA National Office.

A d v e r t i s i n gSydney: Tonkin Media, PO Box 101, Avoca Beach NSW 2151, telephone (0243) 851 746, fax (0243) 852 017.

Australian

V E T E R I N A RYJO U R N A L

C o v e r

This painting of Red-whiskeredbulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus)

is the work of Canberra vet, DrNicola Dickson. A range of herworks is available for pur-chase. Dr Dickson can be con-tacted: C/- 8 Story Pl, ISAACS,A C T .

The AVA’s latest National President, Dr Ga rt hMc Gi l v r a y, was formally inducted into the job dur-ing a ceremony at the Association’s AGM in Ho b a rt

last month. The outgoing President, Dr Geoff Niethe (nowVi c e - President), helped his successor into the official ro b e sand passed-on the AVA’s chain of office. Dr Mc Gi l v r a y’se x p ressed aims in the job are: to protect the interests of thep rofession in the face of National Competition Policy andd e regulation in general; update many of the AVA’s long-standing policies; facilitate the smooth introduction of theAw a rd for Em p l oyed Veterinarians; support the vet schoolsin the face of continuing Federal Budget cuts to higher edu-cation; and to support the development of OH&S guide-lines for the profession. He is a partner in a flourishing prac-tice at Coffs Harbour (NSW), which has four branches servicing companion animals, hors-es, cattle, wildlife and exotics. During a long period of AVA invo l vement he initiated theNSW No rth Coast Branch in 1975, belongs to three SIGs, served on the Board of NSWDivision for seven years, served on the NSW Ve t e r i n a ry Surgeons Board for five years andspent two years as the ASAVA nominee on the AVA National Board.

Garth McGilvray, President

Garth McGilvray

AVA gets Budget invite

The AVA’s increasing status in the eyes of the Federal Government and the bure a u c r a c ywas clearly demonstrated when - for the first time - the Association was invited to send

a re p re s e n t a t i ve to a Budget lock-up briefing. AFFA (Agriculture, Fo re s t ry and Fisheries Au s-tralia, the re s t ru c t u red DPIE) called AVA National Office to invite a re p re s e n t a t i ve to attenda private function in the office of the Di rector General at the same time the traditional medialock-up was being staged elsew h e re. The AVA National Veterinarian, Dr Kevin Doy l e ,attended. A teleconference was pre-arranged for that night, soon after Dr Doyle was per-mitted to leave the lock-up. This enabled a speedy AVA response to the Bu d g e t .

$15M Newcastle disease outbreakThe clean-up of Australia's worst outbreak of Newcastle disease - on Ma n g rove Mo u n-

tain Ridge in NSW - is expected to cost as much as $15M. Canberra and all States andTerritories will contribute to the bill under the terms of national agreements for the con-t rol of exotic animal diseases. The first stage of the massive operation - humanely destroy-ing 1.9 commercial chickens as well as backyard chickens, ducks, aviary birds and fre e - f l y-ing birds within the control zone - has just been finalised as the June AVJ goes to press. Atotal of 30 commercial chicken pro p e rties and 106 other local pro p e rties have undergoneone disinfection, with at least one more to follow within the next three weeks. Mo re than1000 workers from 40 different agencies, under the guidance of NSW Agriculture and theC o n s u l t a t i ve Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (all of Australia's titled ChiefVets), we re invo l ved at the peak of the operation. Reliable sources believe the outbreak hasbeen beaten - no signs of new infection had been detected for more than two weeks at thetime of writing. The pro p e rties are likely to remain under quarantine for at least two ort h ree months before a final check determines whether they can be re-stocked. An officialallocation of $8.5M has already been set aside but it is now expected the final bill will ben e a rer to $15M. (more details P404).