Calls for Australia-Indonesia border closure mount amid outbreak
The federal opposition has stepped up calls for Australia to slam the border shut to Indonesia as foot and mouth disease spreads.
While the country remains virus-free, concerns are heightened after virus fragments were detected in pork in Melbourne and beef seized at Adelaide airport.
Although the fragments were not live virus and have been found before, if the disease broke through it could cost the economy up to $80 billion.
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An Agriculture Ministry official examines livestock during a vaccination campaign to prevent the spread of a the highly infectious foot-and-mouth disease at a farm in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. AP
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews is among those calling for the borders to be closed.
"This is not something that Labor can take a softly-softly, gently-gently approach," Andrews said.
"If this means that they have to slam the door to Bali, they need to be taking serious action and doing so."
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Shadow Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has stepped up calls for the government to shut the border. 9News
Shadow Agriculture Minister Littleproud has stepped back from advocating for a closure, instead calling for a trigger point to be established.
"It should be predicated on science," Littleproud said.
"They need to be transparent about that trigger point, as to what that is that we would need to close those borders temporarily."
The government is confident that strict biosecurity controls will be enough.
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The federal opposition has stepped up calls for Australia to slam the border shut to Indonesia as foot and mouth disease spreads. 9News
The National Farmers' Federation CEO Tony Mahar said an unnecessary border closure could hurt an important trade relationship. 9News
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said there were more than 20 countries across the world that had foot and mouth disease outbreaks while the opposition was in government.
"Not once did they ever talk about closing borders," Watt said.
The National Farmers' Federation CEO Tony Mahar said an unnecessary border closure could hurt an important trade relationship.
"We're not supporting a close of borders or a travel ban right now," Mahar said.
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The National Farmers' Federation said Indonesia is a critical trading partner for Australia. 9News
The government is confident that strict biosecurity controls will be enough. 9News
"We know how disruptive that has been. We've got to help the Indonesians out.
"This isn't a challenge that they want to deal with on their own.
"We don't want to do anything that would unnecessarily damage the relationship with them.
"We're an exporting industry, we export two thirds of what we produce and Indonesia is a critical trading partner."
However Mahar said many farmers are "holding their breath and hoping we can keep this devastating disease out of Australia".
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Mahar said many farmers are "holding their breath and hoping we can keep this devastating disease out of Australia". 9News
"(There's) a lot of anxiety, a lot of fear and a lot of nervousness across the sector," Mahar said.
"We know the impact that this would have on farmers and rural and regional communities is just immense."
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