Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to note, first off, that, thankfully, there is currently no evidence that foot-and-mouth disease exists in Australia, and we certainly hope that that remains the case. The risk of it entering has been classed by experts as being about 11 per cent over the next five years, but we know that, if people continue to flout the very strong recommendations, guidance and directions that have been given, that risk could increase.

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that, if we are not very vigilant, this disease has the potential to ravage our nation's agriculture sector. As the previous speaker said, you don't need to live in a rural location to know how devastating this may be. In a worst-case scenario, it's estimated that, if FMD were to get into the country, it could cost us as much as $80 billion over several years. Our beef and livestock industries could be devastated. Our wool and dairy industries could also suffer greatly. Countless jobs would be at risk. Everyday food items would become much more expensive. Indeed, already confidence in the market has been rattled, and we hope that our quick response will encourage confidence for markets to return.

I can't stress enough that this is an issue that we take extremely seriously in the government. We are obviously very happy that so far it has not got into Australia. In fact, it hasn't since 1872. It's been very pleasing to me, coming from the Territory, that the minister, Senator Murray Watt, has taken every phone call and every message from me on this issue. I'm representing our industry—not just Northern Territorian farmers but also farmers from the electorate of the previous speaker, farmers I know from having been in Queensland recently and farmers I know in Tasmania. It doesn't matter that the Tasmanian farmers are on an island off an island that FMD hasn't got to yet. They know how devastating it can be. So I'm obviously very pleased with the fast response of the minister.

Preceding Minister Watt's visit to Indonesia, I went to Indonesia with the Prime Minister. Biosecurity, and offering that vital support, was one of the main topics that we discussed with the President of Indonesia. Those discussions over there also led to the implementation of a number of protective measures. Back in June, the Commonwealth gave biosecurity a $14 million funding increase. I think that's important because we know that a number of these measures come with a price tag, and we need to be funding those measures. We have added more detector dogs in Darwin International Airport in my electorate and in Cairns Airport, and we have rolled out sanitation foot mats at all international airports. We have been raising awareness for all Australian travellers, particularly those to Indonesia, to be extra vigilant about cleaning their shoes and clothes if they've been anywhere near livestock or in rural areas or markets. I will go further than that and say that everyone travelling to Indonesia, regardless of where they've been, should be doing that.

As I said, for my electorate of Solomon this is particularly important, with Darwin being just a short flight away from Denpasar. Territorians, like so many other Australians—particularly those in the west—love to holiday in Indonesia, our near neighbour. So I'm very pleased that we are helping Indonesia, which is dealing with this scourge of FMD, and I'm urging travellers to follow all of the biosecurity advice upon their return home to keep our country safe.

It's not just about farmers. Anyone who has any idea of the devastation wrought by FMD in Britain knows it's not just the farming communities that suffer; it's whole communities around that. Everything is linked. It is just too awful to imagine. So I do ask those travellers for their patience.

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