In short:
The Federal Government has launched a national campaign to educate the public on bird flu.
asserted
Government → launch → flu
The SA Government is calling for an experimental vaccine to be approved in Australia to assist protecting sea lions against the bird flu.
asserted
vaccine → call → flu
Experts say the vaccine that could help sea lions could take months to be approved and trialled in Australia.
uncertain
that → say → Australia
The Federal Government has launched a national education campaign on the H5N1 bird flu to provide "practical advice" to Australians on what to do if they come across sick or dead birds.
asserted
they → launch → birds
It comes as 652 bird flu events have been recorded across the country, with 319 in SA, 67 in NSW, two in QLD, 45 in Tasmania, 208 in Victoria and 10 in WA.
asserted
events → come → WA
Speaking in Hobart on Sunday, Federal Minister for Agriculture Julie Collins said the new 'Bird flu - Know what to do' campaign will run across television, radio, social media and other channels for six weeks.
asserted
campaign → speak → weeks
"What it does is encourages Australians to take simple steps to know what to do if they encounter a suspected bird flu event,"Ms Collins said.
"I remind Australians to avoid touching sick or dead birds... and to report suspected cases to the emergency animal disease hotline through birdflu.gov.au."
Ms Collins said the campaign provided information to the public who may have questions about bird flu.
uncertain
who → encourage → flu
"If you have backyard chickens and you have localised bird flu in your area, it will give you practical advice about what to do," Ms Collins said.
asserted
Collins → have → what
"If you are taking your dog out for a walk and you come across dead birds, it will give you practical advice about what to do."
asserted
it → take → what
Adelaide University professor and epidemiologist Adrian Esterman said the campaign had consistent messaging.
"
asserted
campaign → say → messaging
I think they've got all the right things, not to touch dead birds, notify the hotline if they find any," Prof Esterman said.
asserted
Esterman → think → any
Calls to protect endangered sea lions
On the same day as the national campaign was launched, SA Environment Minister Emily Bourke reiterated the state's willingness to support a trial vaccine from America to help protect Australian Sea Lions against bird flu.
asserted
Bourke → protect → flu
The experimental vaccine would need to be approved by the Federal Government.
asserted
vaccine → need → Government
All five cases were located on important breeding colonies for the endangered species on Kangaroo Island and the Pages Islands.
asserted
cases → locate → Island
"We're very focused on our sea lions and that's why we're trying to pull every lever possible and make it very, very clear as a state that we want it to progress and we want to make sure that it can be done safely,"Ms Bourke said.
asserted
Bourke → try → state
"We have made, if not daily, very regular communication available to the Federal Government to say that we want this into the country as quickly as possible, but obviously this is an experimental vaccine and it needs to be done in the appropriate way."
Ms Collins previously said there was no commercially available vaccine for mammals available.
asserted
Collins → make → mammals
We are working very closely in terms of some of the trials that are occurring overseas, particularly in the USA, in relation to some monk seals that are being tested for a vaccine in Hawaii and California, and we continue to have those discussions."
asserted
we → work → discussions
Prof Esterman said the experimental vaccine being trialled in America was "definitely worth trying".
asserted
vaccine → say → America
"I will emphasise it's very experimental, it's actually based on a cattle vaccine for Avian Flu, because Avian Flu has got into the dairy herds across America,"he
asserted
Flu → emphasise → America,"he
"They've tried it out in some seals and sea lions... and they've shown that it does produce an immune response.
asserted
it → try → response
"[Australia] would have to try and import it, we would have to go through all our regulatory authorities.. even if it did happen, it's still incredibly experimental.
asserted
it → have → authorities
It's shown to give an immune response, but there's no guarantee it would actually protect the sea mammals, but if we can get hold of that it's definitely worth trying."
asserted
it → show → that
The epidemiologist said there would have to be a lot of red tape to cut if Australia were to import the experimental vaccine.
"
asserted
Australia → say → vaccine
This is an animal vaccine, it still has animal ethics committees it has to go through.
asserted
it → have → committees
I think you're definitely talking months."
asserted
you → think → ?
The Aporia