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February 11, 2004
the bio-security state
I caught a bit of Tony Abbott's press conference today. He was launching a report, Protecting Australia from Communicable Diseases, produced by the Department of Health and Aging.
The Canberra journalists were not interested. They were concerned with the political issue of the day---eg., Senate negotiations over Medicare Plus. The TV cameras were even photographing the TV cameras photographing the Minister. How's that for a closed media loop?
What was said about communicable diseases was important. It went something like this. Germs are invading Australia. We need protection from the nasties. So the national security state needs to become a biosecurity state to deal withe the immiment threat.
Remember the Spanish flu? Well, 65% of the population in the US and the Uk wipped out. Well Bird Flu could be the next big pandemic. It is more of a threat than bioterrorism.
The line at the press conference was predictable. The bio state is well placed to deal with the threat on the other side of our borders. The communicable diseases in the past were bought under control with public health, scientific research and eternal vigilance. We have learnt from the past. We know whats going one. The bio-security state is ready to deal with the threat of bird flu. Trust the biosecurity state.
Interesting how the Canberra journalists were more interested in the health politics of the moment than the bio-security state.
Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at February 11, 2004 08:55 PM
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