Strongest arrangements needed for foot and mouth protection: Butler

Federal ministers are being urged to take all steps possible to protect the nation’s livestock industry from the growing threat of foot and mouth disease.

State Member for Barwon Roy Butler has voiced concern about the disease’s impact if it reaches Australian shores.

Mr Butler shared details of a letter written to federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watts.

In the letter, Mr Butler asked for an investigation of his concerns.

“Given current cost of living pressure, increased cost of meat or other affected products would be untenable for Australian households,” Mr Butler said.

Mr Butler said Australian farmers have endured, in many cases, the worst drought recorded, however, would not survive the impacts of foot and mouth disease.

“I ask that you implement the strongest possible arrangements for incoming travellers regardless of any declaration of being around livestock or on farms during their time in Indonesia (because of the regular traffic between Australia and Indonesia) and other countries where the disease is detected or present,” he said.

“I also ask that you redouble your offers of expert assistance to Indonesia to manage the outbreak within their borders.

“I am aware that assistance has been offered since May 2022, however, given the serious threat to the Australian livestock industry and the national economic impact, I respectfully suggest we cannot be doing enough to minimise the risk of FMD coming to Australia.”

Fellow North West parliamentarian Adam Marshall has also taken the federal government to task over foot and mouth, voicing his concerns to the federal and NSW governments.

Federal representatives Mark Coulton, the Member for Parkes, and Barnaby Joyce, Member for New England and former deputy prime minister, are also calling for swift action.

“It is imperative that we do everything we can to protect our $80 billion livestock industry and its genetic value from an outbreak of this highly infectious disease,” Mr Coulton said.

Mr Joyce said the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences has predicted $80 billion could be wiped from the Australian economy if this disease reaches Australia.

“This is an early test of competency for the new Labor government and what we hear thus far is they are more interested in legislation to change the weather than actions to stop what could be one of the greatest economic hits to our economy in a generation,” Mr Joyce said.