FOLLOWING weeks of media reports of the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia and confirmation of 63 cases in Bali on Monday, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry minister, Murray Watt, said on Wednesday afternoon that strengthened measures have been imposed including assessment of all passengers on flights from Indonesia to Australia.
The previous Federal Government removed Indonesia from the department’s FMD-free country list in May 2022, following confirmation by Indonesia authorities of an outbreak of the viral animal disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals (those with divided hoofs), including cattle, buffalo, camels, sheep, goats, deer and pigs.
An outbreak of FMD has the potential to decimate the livestock industry due to the export market closures, production disruption and significant flow-on social impacts and economic losses for all regional businesses involved in agriculture.
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences modelling predicted an extensive FMD outbreak in Australian livestock would have an estimated direct economic impact of around $80 billion.
Initial changes to biosecurity protocols to reduce the risk of a potential incursion and help Australia maintain its current FMD-free status included changes to import conditions and permits for goods sourced from or manufactured from Indonesia.
The changes apply to animal and environmental samples for laboratory use, meat jerky or biltong, peat products, dairy products including cheese and butter, infant formula, protein powders and supplements, cheesecakes, cooked biscuits, cooked breads, cooked cakes or cooked pastries containing uncooked dairy fillings or toppings, and other products containing greater than 10 per cent dairy.
The Victorian Opposition called for urgent and more comprehensive biosecurity checks at Australia’s airports earlier this week to ensure every single arrival was questioned on their overseas travel and that footwear, in particular, is sterilised or destroyed to protect our borders from a catastrophic incursion of FMD.
Shadow Agricultural minister, Peter Walsh, quoted from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) projections and said an outbreak of FMD in Australia would be catastrophic to the Australian economy, primarily due to trade restrictions and that even a confined outbreak in Victoria would see our economy take a more than $5-6 billion hit.
New targeted operations at major airports servicing travel from Indonesia, include checking a wider range of passengers who could be contaminated with FMD or carrying contaminated goods, and with high-risk passengers identified for intervention.
New measures being taken or introduced include:
• The location of biosecurity detector dogs in Darwin and Cairns Airports
• Additional signage and the distribution of flyers at major airports, informing travellers of FMD risk and precautions
• Expanded social media campaigns, informing travellers of their biosecurity responsibilities
• Additional training of airport biosecurity staff
• Enhancement of mail profiling and inspections
minister Watt said additional measures, including boarding by biosecurity officers on arriving flights from Indonesia, will begin in coming days.
“I have received regular briefings about this issue since becoming minister and (Tuesday) I sought and received another urgent briefing about the latest developments from Australian Director of Biosecurity Andrew Metcalfe AO, the Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Mark Schipp, and head of the National Animal Disease Taskforce at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Dr Chris Parker,” he said.
Minister Watt said there were also well-established plans in place should FMD be detected in Australia, including an FMD vaccine bank.
“During his recent visit to Indonesia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed Australian support, including vaccines and technical expertise, to respond to the recent outbreak of FMD,” he said.
“Indonesia has accepted Australia’s offer and we are progressing that support as a matter of urgency.”
He said biosecurity was a shared responsibility, and it was crucial that every traveller returning to Australia from areas affected by FMD followed the biosecurity instructions that were in place at the border.
High risk materials cannot be brought into the country, including contaminated equipment or clothing, animals or animal products, such as meat products and cheese.
Australia has been free of FMD since 1872, due to our strict quarantine and biosecurity protocols.
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) also expressed extreme concern about the spread of FMD, with president Fiona Simson calling on the Federal Government and travellers to immediately step up the defence.
Ms Simson said Indonesia was one of our closest partners, both diplomatically and in terms of trade, and the government must continue to support them to bring the spread of FMD under control.
“Now that borders are open, international travel is rapidly ramping up with ABS data showing more than half a million arrivals in April this year,” she said.
“Bali has always been a favourite travel destination.
“Pre-Covid, 1.23 million Aussies packed their bags to visit our Indonesian neighbour in 2019.
“The news that FMD has reached Bali has sent a shiver up the spine of Australian farmers, as the risk of it reaching our shores has undoubtedly grown.”
Ms Simson said if FMD reached our shores “our ability to produce food and fibre for Australians and the world would take a major blow, which is why biosecurity is important to every single person”.
FMD virus is principally transmitted by direct contact between infected animals and susceptible animals. Transmission occurs via secretions and excretions such as exhaled air, saliva, ruptured vesicles, faeces, milk and semen.
FMD virus can also spread on wool, hair, grass, plant material, wind, or mud and/or manure on footwear, clothing, equipment and tyres.
For more information on FMD, visit agriculture.gov.au/footandmouthdisease
