
Have you ever wondered why egg shelves are bare and prices are soaring? Did you know millions of chickens were culled due to bird flu outbreaks and this wasn’t the first time?
Australia’s biosecurity system faces growing challenges, however could smarter strategies help balance ethics, economics and food security?
4ZZZ's Eliot Rifkin chatted about “Egg availability and Australia's broader biosecurity challenges” with Associate Professor Susan Hester from the University of Melbourne/UNE Business.
For a deep dive...
Here's the link to Susan Hesterʻs bio and published works, the Pursuit magazine article "Could Australia avoid egg shortages with better biosecurity?" as well as her book - “Biosecurity - A Systems Perspective”
...and some background on Avian Influenza in Australia: Risks and Precautions Explained as well as how are birds with avian flu disposed of. Some info from DCCEEW (Dept of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water) on the current H5 Avian Flu.outbreak.
Check this out, if youʻre a bit confused with all the different egg types (pasteurised, free-range, caged...) & labels.
Hereʻs where to familiarise yourself with priority Biosecurity invasives: Australia’s National Priority List of Exotic Environmental Pests, Weeds and Diseases and the Global Invasive Species Program. Check out this map of current biosecurity responses to outbreaks of a range of pests and diseases in Australia
You can make a difference… hereʻs how to get involved as a citizen science:
Feral Scan records pest animal activity in your local area for 14 different species and Weed Spotters Network Queensland which detects new and emerging weed threats before they become established in Queensland.
...and lastly hereʻs some phone numbers to report biosecurity issues:
The Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888
The Exotic Plant Pest Hotline: 1800 084 881
as well as online reporting of pests, diseases and weeds

Students at a high school in Brisbane are snubbing the school bus service over concerns of repeated late slips, with parents reporting bus delays as long as 20 minutes.

Your 10AM Zedlines with Clementine, Livinia and Jules

Your 9AM Zedlines with Clementine, Livinia and Jules

Your 8AM Zedlines with Clementine, Livinia and Jules

Your 11am Zedlines with Ellen, Sarah and Alannah
(Image Wikicommons)

Your 10am Zedlines with Niamh and Miko

Your 9am Zedlines with Ellen, Sarah and Alannah

Your 8am Zedlines with Niamh and Miko
(image via wikicommons)

Your 11AM Zedlines with Asha and Ethan (Image via NBC News)

Your 10AM Zedlines with Ava, Dan and Yuchen (Image via Wikicommons)

Your 9AM Zedlines with Asha and Ethan. (Image via Wikimedia)

Your 8AM Zedlines with Ava, Dan and Yuchen (Image via Wikimedia)

Your 11AM Zedlines with Eden, Sarah, and Vivek

Your 10AM Zedlines with Sarah and Alec

Your 9AM Zedlines with Eden, Vivek, and Alec.

Your 8AM Zedlines with Alec, Sarah, and Vivek.

Your 11AM Zedlines with Hailey and Lachlan
Image Credit: MTSOfan

Your 10AM Zedlines with Cass and Georgie.

Your 9AM Zedlines with Hailey and Lachlan

Your 8AM Zedlines with Cass and Georgie.

Your 11AM Zedlines with Livinia and Dane

Your 10AM Zedlines with Livinia and Dane

Your 9AM Zedlines with Livinia and Dane

Your 8AM Zedlines with Dane

This is your 11am Zedlines with Ellen and Alannah.

Your 10am Zedlines with Niamh and Miko

Your 9am Zedlines with Ellen and Alannah
Your 8am Zedlines with Niamh and Miko.
Image supplied.