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Riverina faces H5 bird flu detection and industrial job losses
In the Riverina region of New South Wales, H5 bird flu has been detected in a Greater Crested Tern in Wentworth, marking the first occurrence of the virus in the Murray-Darling Basin. Murray MP Helen Dalton has called for urgent government action to protect the local poultry industry, noting that the area contains over 500 chicken sheds and a major processing plant. While no H5 detections have been recorded in Australian commercial poultry, the NSW Chief Veterinary Officer has advised producers to house free-range birds indoors and increase biosecurity.
Separately, Helen Dalton has called for the resignation of Agriculture and Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty. The demand follows 78 redundancies at SunRice processing operations in Leeton and Deniliquin. Dalton criticized the state government's handling of regional industries and the management of the $160 million NSW Sustainable Communities Program, which is part of a larger federal package intended to assist communities adjusting to water recovery targets in the Basin.
Entities
Helen Dalton · New South Wales · Riverina · SunRice · Tara Moriarty
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] H5 bird flu was detected in a Greater Crested Tern in Wentworth, marking the first detection in the Murray-Darling Basin. regionriverina.com.au
- [● 2 SOURCES] SunRice processing operations in Leeton and Deniliquin have undergone 78 redundancies. www.bordermail.com.au · www.dailyadvertiser.com.au
- [● 2 SOURCES] The NSW Sustainable Communities Program is a $160 million state-administered portion of a $300 million federal package. www.bordermail.com.au · www.dailyadvertiser.com.au
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tara Moriarty should resign as Agriculture and Regional NSW Minister. www.bordermail.com.au · www.dailyadvertiser.com.au
- [○ 1 SOURCE] There are more than 500 chicken sheds located around Griffith. regionriverina.com.au