An expert says the detection of bird flu in the Murray-Darling basin should be 'ringing alarm bells', as Australia's national tally of H5 cases reached 215 as of Saturday afternoon.
Key facts
- As of 3pm Saturday, Australia had 215 H5 bird flu cases nationally.
- An expert said the detection in the Murray-Darling basin 'should be ringing alarm bells'.
- Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young urged the Albanese government to 'put its cards on the table' on gambling reform.
- Labor is expected to face opposition from gambling giants over a potential ban on financial inducements for betting.
Bird flu detected in the Murray-Darling basin “should be ringing alarm bells”, an expert has said, according to the Guardian’s Australia news live coverage. The warning came as Australia’s national count of H5 bird flu cases reached 215 as of 3pm Saturday.
The Guardian reported the case total as part of ongoing coverage of the outbreak, though further details about the specific circumstances of the Murray-Darling basin detection were not provided in the available reporting.
In separate political developments covered in the same live blog, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for the Albanese government to put its “cards on the table” as part of a potential strengthening of its gambling reform.
Labor is expected to face strong opposition from gambling giants if it accedes to Coalition and Greens demands for a tough new ban on financial inducements for betting, according to the Guardian. The measure is part of closely watched Senate deal-making expected within days.
“If the government’s now willing to move on some things … good. But the devil’s going to be in the detail,” Hanson-Young said. “And what I say to the prime minister and to the government is, put your cards on the table.”
The developments reflect two of the most closely watched issues in Australian public life this week: the spread of bird flu and negotiations over gambling reform in the Senate.
Why it matters
The spread of H5 bird flu into new regions such as the Murray-Darling basin raises concerns among experts about the disease's reach across Australia. At the same time, Senate negotiations over gambling reform could shape how betting companies operate nationally.
Frequently asked questions
How many bird flu cases does Australia have?
According to the Guardian, Australia had a total of 215 H5 bird flu cases nationally as of 3pm Saturday.
What is the gambling reform debate about?
Labor is expected to face opposition from gambling giants over Coalition and Greens demands for a tough new ban on financial inducements for betting, as part of Senate deal-making expected within days.
What did Sarah Hanson-Young say?
The Greens senator called for the Albanese government to 'put its cards on the table' on gambling reform, saying the government should move on some measures but that 'the devil's going to be in the detail'.