Australian academic mocks our bird flu 'over-reaction'

The government's preparations for a possible outbreak of bird flu are being panned as being completely over the top.

This week the Ministry of Health began distributing leaflets explaining how New Zealanders should prepare for a possible pandemic.

It is already stockpiling shots of the ant-viral drug Tamiflu.

But Macquarie University professor Peter Curson, from Australia, said New Zealand is getting into a flap over nothing.

He said the government is reacting to something that is very unlikely to happen.

Peter Curson said the country would be better off declaring a pandemic of some the real health problems it has, like diabetes and obesity.