SUBSCRIBE!

Stories

Where's our eggs and the flow-on effects of biosecurity strategies

Saturday, September 6, 2025
by Eliot Rifkin

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

Eliot Rifkin

Eliot Rifkin is a Journalist and Producer on Thursday Brisbane Line

Zedlines

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY, JANUARY 2025, 11AM

Jan 20, 2026

Your 11AM Zedlines with Jules, Dane and Clem

ZEDLINES, Tuesday January 2025, 10AM

Jan 20, 2026

Your 10AM Zedlines with Clem, Zayna and Livinia

ZEDLINES, Tuesday January 2025, 9AM

Jan 20, 2026

Your 9AM Zedlines with Livinia, Dane, Zayna and Jules

ZEDLINES, Tuesday January 2025, 8AM

Jan 20, 2026

Your 8AM Zedlines with Dane, Clem, Jules and Zayna

ZEDLINES, 19 JANUARY 2026, 11AM

Jan 19, 2026

Your 11AM Zedlines with Sarah, Ellen and Alannah

ZEDLINES, 19 JANUARY 2026, 9AM

Jan 19, 2026

Your 9AM Zedlines with Sarah, Alannah and Ellen 

ZEDLINES, 19 JANUARY 2026, 8AM

Jan 19, 2026

Zedlines, Monday 16 January, 10am

Jan 16, 2026

Your 10am Zedlines with Charlie, Ava, and Dan 

Zedlines, Friday 16 January 8am

Jan 15, 2026

Your 8am Zedlines with Charlie, Dan, and Ava. Image credit Tatiana Gerus on Flickr 

Zedlines, Thursday 15 January, 11AM

Jan 15, 2026

Your 11AM Zedlines with Eden, Stella and HG

Zedlines, Thursday 15 January, 9AM

Jan 15, 2026

Your 9am Zedlines with Stella and Eden

IMG: Supplied Jess Beckerling MLC

Zedlines, Thursday 15 January, 8AM

Jan 15, 2026

Your 8AM Zedlines with Sarah, Em and Vivek

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY, 2026, 11AM

Jan 14, 2026

Your 11AM Zedlines with Lachlan and Hailey

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY, 2026, 10AM

Jan 14, 2026

Your 10AM Zedlines with Miko & Georgie

IMG Credit: Arthur Chapman, Flickr

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2026, 9AM

Jan 13, 2026

Your 9AM Zedlines with Georgie and Hailey

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2026, 8AM

Jan 13, 2026

Your 8AM Zedlines with Lachlan and Miko

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY 13 JANUARY 2025, 11AM

Jan 13, 2026

Your 11AM Zedlines with Garry and Livinia

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY 13 JANUARY 2025, 10AM

Jan 13, 2026

Your 10AM Zedlines with Jules, Zayna and Dane

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY 13 JANUARY 2025, 9AM

Jan 13, 2026

Your 9AM Zedlines with Zayna, Livina and Garry

ZEDLINES, MONDAY 12 JANUARY 2026, 9AM

Jan 12, 2026

Your 9AM Zedlines with Ellen, Sarah, Alannah and Niamh

ZEDLINES, MONDAY 12 JANUARY 2026, 8AM

Jan 12, 2026

Your 8AM Zedlines with Sarah, Ellen, Alannah and Niamh

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY DECEMBER 2025, 11AM

Dec 12, 2025

Your 11AM Zedlines with Toby and Chelsea

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY DECEMBER 2025, 8AM

Dec 12, 2025

Your 8AM Zedlines with Chelsea and Toby

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY DECEMBER 2025, 10AM

Dec 12, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Toby and Chelsea  

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 12 2025, 9AM

Dec 12, 2025

Your 9AM Zedlines with Chelsea and Toby 

ZEDLINES, THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER 2025, 11AM

Dec 11, 2025

Your 11AM Zedlines with Annabel and Deana

ZEDLINES, THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER 2025, 10AM

Dec 11, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Deana and Jon

ZEDLINES, THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER 2025, 9AM

Dec 11, 2025

Your 9AM Zedlines with Jon and Annabel
IMG: From Inside Local News