Mr O'Dowd:

I rise to support the member for Riverina's motion regarding foot-and-mouth disease, a disease that has been spreading throughout Indonesia, including the holiday destination of Bali. Roughly half of Australia's cattle population lives in Queensland, and roughly one-third of that lives in Central Queensland, which includes my electorate of Flynn. Many graziers have contacted me concerned about what a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak would mean to their businesses and, more significantly, to Australia in general. If foot-and-mouth disease reaches Australian shores, it will devastate the agricultural industry and associated industries and cost the Australian economy tens of billions of dollars.

In 2001, in the United Kingdom, foot-and-mouth disease forced the destruction of more than six million pigs, cows and sheep at an estimated cost of eight billion pounds. Australia's agricultural industry is worth much more than the United Kingdom's, with our beef industry being worth more than $20 billion alone. A new report commissioned by Regional Development Australia Central and Western Queensland has predicted catastrophic economic consequences if an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease were to occur. This disease would inflict a $1.1 billion hit to the Central Queensland and western Queensland economies and cause almost 34,000 job losses. The RDA report shows that western Queensland and the banana regions account for more of Australia's cattle herd than any other regions and would suffer gross regional product losses of 37.3 per cent and 10.1 per cent, respectively.

It is clear that the Labor government simply does not get it. In the short time coming to office, Labor has a biosecurity crisis on its hands. The Labor government's response to FMD has been marred by indecision, uncertainty and embarrassing backflips. Since the FMD outbreak in Bali, the federal government has been slow to react. Labor's approach to an $80 billion risk to the Australian economy is dangerously indecisive at a time when Australian farmers are crying out for tough measures. A prime example is that Labor took over four weeks to put foot mats at airports, allowing tens of thousands of people to waltz through our borders from Indonesia despite our calls.

The Labor state Minister for Agriculture in Western Australia has been saying that an outbreak of FMD in Australia would result in cheaper meat and milk. These comments from a state Labor minister about a disease that threatens tens of thousands of livelihoods are appalling and offensive. Agriculture ministers have a serious job. They are meant to understand the industry and then support and promote it. This minister has shown that she is incapable of this. It demonstrates yet again that the Labor Party does not understand the needs and concerns of the agricultural sector.

Our agricultural industry needs to be protected against biosecurity threats such as foot-and-mouth disease, and this requires leadership. On 22 July New Zealand introduced a ban on travellers from Indonesia bringing in animal and meat products. If this measure was good enough for New Zealand, why not Australia? Every single arrival from Indonesia needs to be screened. This does not matter whether arrivals have visited cities or rural areas in Indonesia. The foot-and-mouth disease threat is too great.

Since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the coalition has been calling for this Labor government to immediately offer 3D X-ray technology to Indonesia to help combat the threat of the disease at their airports. This state-of-the-art technology works, and the Labor government must urgently move to establish a similar screening program with Indonesia. Labor must act swiftly and work constructively with Indonesia to get this technology operating for incoming luggage. If we are to have the technology, why not use it? Offering 3D X-ray technology to Indonesian airports, and banning travellers from carrying food products from Indonesia, are all necessary, particularly when the federal government's one million vaccines for Indonesia have only just arrived, a shameful seven weeks after they were promised.

We need to explore the possibility of temporarily suspending all but essential travel to Indonesia, including Bali. The same protocol was implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19. Industry groups are calling for border closures because they are not convinced the Labor government has a plan to adequately manage this major issue. To restore public confidence in the management of this, the Labor government must explain why border closures will not be considered and why existing measures are adequate.

Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We can all appreciate the seriousness of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Indonesia and the devastating impact FMD would have on Australia's livestock industry. Thankfully, there is no evidence that FMD is currently in Australia. As my colleagues made mention of the last time this motion was debated, we certainly plan on that remaining the case. Without the continued vigilance of this government, FMD poses a massive risk to Australia's livestock industry.

Western Australia has a thriving livestock industry—including, I'm proud to say, in parts of my electorate of Hasluck. The WA meat and livestock industry runs into billions of dollars of domestic and exported product. We are a world leader in meat exports of high-quality beef, sheep and pork, as well as in superfine wool production. In Hasluck we are very much alive to the importance of vigilance when it comes to biosecurity. The Swan Valley and the Perth Hills both run through my electorate, and produce world-class wine, cheeses, table grapes, stone fruit, apples and much more. The threat of pest and disease is ever present. The prosperity of the region and the massive contribution it makes to our economy is reliant on everyone, including this government, to do the right thing.

Last week I met Graeme Yukich at Oakover Wines in the Swan Valley. He is not only growing vines for wine production but also distributing around 250 different types of cheese to retailers around WA. He is relying on the measures that this government is taking to protect the dairy industry in Australia. Just outside my electorate, in York, my sister and her husband run a flock of sheep. They, too, are relying on the action that our government has taken to protect our industries.

I know all too well the potential dangers FMD presents. This is why I'm happy to talk about the action our government is taking to ensure the safety and success of industry here in Australia. The measures begin with providing support to Indonesia to combat the outbreak. Indonesia and, specifically, Bali are a short flight away from Perth Airport, and few people love heading over to Bali for a bit of R&R more than us sandgropers. The Australian government has committed $14 million in immediate funding to manage the increased threat of foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease, in addition to $1½ million to supply vaccines to Indonesia and $550,000 to support the industry-led assistance made available by Meat and Livestock Australia. This is in addition to providing: biosecurity officers, granted extra powers under the Biosecurity Act 2015 to direct returning travellers to use the sanitising foot mats in Australian airports; increased education resources such as fliers, airport announcements and online advertising to ensure travellers are made aware of their responsibilities; and biosecurity detector dogs in Darwin and Cairns airports, risk-profiling 100 per cent of passengers that come into Australia from Indonesia. By providing this expert technical advice, vaccines and financial support to Indonesia we can significantly minimise the risk of introducing FMD while maintaining positive bilateral relations with our important close neighbour.

The government will continue to listen to the experts and work with industry to make sure we have the best possible calibration of our response to this very serious situation. It cannot be overstated just how seriously this government is taking this issue. We are led in this area by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Murray Watt, and his record of swift action speaks for itself and has kept Australia free from FMD. I am sure the minister welcomes any constructive advice that this parliament or the public have on this issue. It's right to raise the valid concerns of people directly engaged in the livestock industry, without becoming unduly alarmist or playing politics with what is a very serious matter.

Concerns have been properly raised about the effect that populations of feral animals such as pigs might have on the spread of FMD if it got a foothold. The need to address feral animals has been covered by the State of the environment report and is a matter this government takes very seriously. In the midst of our valid concerns about industry, I would like to add that we should spare a thought for the animals themselves. I know firsthand that for many farmers this is the most immediate and distressing part of having to deal disaster, whether it be disease, flood, fire or other. People who work with animals never want to see those animals suffer. We should also recognise and thank the overwhelming majority of travellers who are doing the right thing, taking their responsibilities seriously and playing their role to keep FMD out of Australia. It is greatly appreciated by the government, by farmers and by everyone who relies on crucial agricultural and livestock industries.

Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of this motion. In the nine short weeks since it came to office, the Labor Party has had a biosecurity crisis on its hands, with a potential outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease—a crisis of its own doing, due to inaction and ineffective decision-making. Regional and rural electorates like Capricornia will be on the frontlines of a potential outbreak. An outbreak would be devastating to the Central Queensland economy and Australia's $80 billion livestock industry. But don't just take my word for it. Regional Development Australia Central and Western Queensland commissioned a report titled the Economic significance of the livestock industry to Central and Western Queensland. It painted a dire picture of what could happen to the region should an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease occur. I want to congratulate RDA Central and Western Queensland for taking the proactive step of releasing this report. This report states that an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease will cost the region $1.1 billion, which is 5.2 per cent of the region's economy. In my electorate, $214.4 million would be written off Rockhampton's economy, and $121.8 million would be written off Livingstone Shire. Jobs would also be at risk. If an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease occurs, approximately 7,034 jobs in Rockhampton and 3,960 jobs in the Livingstone Shire would be lost.

Beef is important to Capricornia. Rockhampton is known worldwide as the beef capital of Australia. Rockhampton hosts Beef Australia expos every three years, and people from all over Australia and the world come to Rockhampton to see the quality of Australian beef and discuss cutting-edge agriculture practices. Beef 2021 was a record year, with a total attendance of 115,886 people, an increase of 15 per cent from the 2018 event, with the average person visiting the event for 2.81 days. The coalition government proudly supported the event with a contribution of $3.9 million. All that progress would be at risk, and we simply cannot afford this potential hit to our local economies and to our local jobs. I remember seeing the images from the United Kingdom in 2001 of the carcasses of cows and sheep piled high, with flames engulfing them. Over six million sheep and cattle were destroyed to contain the spread. I genuinely fear we could see the same here in Australia.

Unfortunately, we now have an agriculture minister from the Gold Coast who fundamentally does not understand what foot-and-mouth disease can do to electorates like the one I represent. I have previously called on the Prime Minister to take direct control of biosecurity measures after Minister Watt's failures on containing foot-and-mouth disease and his slow response in rolling out measures to prevent the spread. Senator Watt was more than happy to throw criticisms around when he was a humble senator in opposition, but it seems he has proven to have a glass jaw when rightful criticism is levelled his way. I have sympathy for the minister. Being in government is serious, and people's lives depend on your decisions. I understand he might not be used to the responsibility.

In response to recent foot-and-mouth disease detections in Melbourne and Adelaide, Labor has made an embarrassing backdown to finally introduce sanitised foot mats at international airports. This is a move that is weeks overdue and an important measure that the federal coalition has been calling for since FMD was first detected. Labor's dithering and delay in implementing this simple but important measure is unfortunate. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of people have come into Australia from Indonesia without having to disinfect their shoes.

The government are failing this basic—but serious—test on biosecurity, and it's time for them to toughen up and take control of this crisis on our borders. Unlike those opposite, the Liberal National Party understands the risk of foot-and-mouth disease because we live in the communities where an outbreak would damage them severely. We call on the government to immediately ban passengers bringing any food products into Australia, and we also call for the installation of 3D X-ray machines at major international airports and for offering one to Indonesia. We also call for the bringing forward of $20 million in funding for a traceability program for ear tags and the bringing forward of $10 million in funding for the national livestock gene bank. It is our view that consideration needs to be given to stronger measures, including introducing border controls that restrict travel from Indonesia. The opposition will continue to be constructive on this developing situation, but, at this new juncture, there are biosecurity and border questions that need to be answered.

Australian farmers need to be confident that our borders are secure against the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, and their patience is wearing thin. This disease would be catastrophic for our farmers, for the Australian economy and for the everyday cost of food. No stone should be left unturned, and no option left off the table in protecting Australia from foot-and-mouth disease.

Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I knew that the LNP members federally were out of touch, but I didn't realise they didn't understand how the calendar worked as well. The truth of the matter is that April actually exists in the calendar before 21 May, and the reality is that foot-and-mouth disease was detected during the time of the Morrison coalition government. So they're prognosticating and preaching to us today about an issue that happened on their watch, when, in fact, they did nothing about it and biosecurity was let down in this country under the coalition government. We know that Indonesia had been free of foot-and-mouth-disease since 1986—a point that was made to me when I was in Indonesia a few short years ago.

The World Organisation for Animal Health reported that the first suspected outbreaks of FMD took place in Indonesia's second-largest city, under the coalition government's time in office on 28 April 2022, and further cases were detected on 1 and 3 May 2022. So, if this was a problem, why wasn't the coalition government acting in terms of biosecurity protection in this country when they were last in office? It has spread like wildfire, it is true, in Indonesia, and by June the Indonesian government launched the nationwide vaccination rollout. Nearly one million livestock had been vaccinated, 7,700 animals had been slaughtered and nearly 5,000 had died. It's a very, very important issue, and it affects my electorate and electorates around the country—particularly my electorate where there's a very large beef cattle industry.

The previous coalition government should have had this on its radar, and I find it curious that those opposite criticise us about alleged indecision concerning disinfectant foot baths at international airports, when they did nothing about the issue when they were last in. If there were any concern about biosecurity measures, you would have thought that the previous minister for agriculture and the coalition government would have been on the front foot on this issue.

This government—the Albanese Labor government—is doing things: the use of sanitised foot mats and shoe cleaning for all incoming flights from Indonesia, including Bali; additional questioning by border officials; biosecurity detector dogs in Darwin and Cairns; additional signage; social media; and training additional staff. I want to acknowledge the work done by Meat & Livestock Australia for its support in making funding available for vaccine projects to support importers to vaccinate Australian cattle entering Indonesian feedlots, and we know how important Indonesian feedlots are—to feed them and the live cattle exports as well from this country. I acknowledge the work of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. This is a very, very important issue in my electorate. Agriculture is important in rural Ipswich and the Somerset Region. The ABS data reported in 2021 that the local government areas of Ipswich and the Somerset produce over $166.6 million worth of agricultural commodities. Of that, livestock slaughter equates to $95.4 million. My electorate of Blair is home to the two largest meat processors in the country: JBS at Dinmore and Kilcoy Global Foods in Kilcoy. In fact, JBS played an important role in the Blair jobs summit I held on 10 August this year. It employs nearly 1,400 people and, at capacity, can employ nearly 2,200 people. There's an issue in relation to certification and health in the Chinese market as well. This is the largest private employer in my electorate.

The LNP members and senators have done what they can to politicise this issue. This motion gives the impression that everything happened chronologically on our watch, when it started under their watch. They're very quick to blame Labor for any cracks in biosecurity issues, including walls, when they were responsible, of course, until 21 May this year. I find this whole motion curious, because those opposite loudly called for borders with Indonesia to be closed when the same members cried, when borders were being closed interstate in relation to COVID, that we should open borders. The member for Nanango, who has talked about this in my local newspapers, was vocal on multiple occasions, calling on the Annastacia Palaszczuk government to open borders, but now they're talking about closing borders.

Those opposite are suffering from 'foot-in-mouth disease' in relation to this issue. They're playing politics. I call on those opposite to work collaboratively with the federal Labor government and the Palaszczuk state government as well in relation to these issues. (Time expired)

Garth Hamilton (Groom, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion. I do find it interesting that the member for Blair seems to think this is an issue that is over—that this is something that happened—and I think that probably explains a lot of what we're seeing, quite frankly. But, since we were last in this place, to be frank, the uproar around Australia's response to foot-and-mouth disease has died down. While it may no longer be dominating news headlines, the threat of this disease remains front of mind for regional communities like mine. Groom has a couple of hundred thousand head of cattle on feed sitting in it. This a concern that is not new to us. This is something that we've been watching for a long time. Although it hit the news headlines quite prominently, this is something that we have to plan for and to watch and prepare for.

We'll continue to watch intently the spread in Indonesia and the actions of our respective governments. We do this because the impact of foot-and-mouth disease simply cannot be understated. An $80 billion meat industry is on the line, along with every locally owned business that supplies the industry. In my electorate, that includes trucking companies, vets, lawyers, accountants, mechanics and so many more. Agriculture still underpins so much of Groom's local economy. I was lucky enough to open the sales at Dorroughby Speckle Park a couple of weeks ago, and it was fantastic. This is the second sale they've had of the Speckle Park breed—a relatively new breed. There's a build of enthusiasm among people coming into the sales. But, amongst all that optimism, there's a cloud on the horizon that everyone's aware of.

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease here would prevent trade for at least a few years in a best case scenario, according to department officials, and could require the mass slaughter of animals as we saw in the UK in 2001 when more than six million animals were lost at a cost of $13 billion to the economy. In addition to the animals' suffering, imagine the mental health impact of such an exercise here in Australia. Again, I reflect upon the millennium drought. I was working at the Northparkes mine at the time. I remember speaking with local farmers in the area about the very real prospect they faced of having to shoot their stock. This is something that takes a heavy toll on people. This isn't something that is thoughtless or mindless at all. I'm not saying this to cause alarm or panic but rather to keep the reality of the situation in mind as we decide our strategy going forward and as we work to keep the general public on side and compliant.

It's vital that the government does not let its guard down or take its foot off the pedal in this rollout of vaccinations and biosecurity measures. I do acknowledge the arrival in Indonesia last week of the first shipment of one million FMD doses, supplied by the Australian government. It's an important step and one that I'm very, very glad to see taken, but the reality is that the heightened threat on our doorstep could be with us for a very long time. There are countries where FMD has become endemic. Our assistance to Indonesia and our home-soil protocols must be maintained for as long as necessary, but there is still scope for our response to be improved.

I would call on the Labor government to continue to seek new solutions to this issue and to remain open to this conversation. For example, while the department of agriculture has rolled out awareness campaigns to Australia's livestock producers, agricultural industry, travellers and a range of other stakeholders, I would argue that greater education is still needed in metro areas before people even step foot on a plane. From the concerned letters, phone calls and visits that I've had, I'm quite sure the agricultural industry and regional residents are well aware of what's at stake here and why compliance with biosecurity measures is so vital. However, I'm not confident that those who don't interact with this sector regularly are so well versed, and this isn't a city versus country matter; it's essential that everyone is educated and can work together for the protection of our nation. From the comments I've seen, including from the WA state minister for agriculture, I'm concerned that the seriousness of the situation was not clear. It may be out of the press, but this is still very much in the minds of residents in my area. The message is simple—very simple: the price of food will skyrocket. People in the suburbs and the bush are already feeling intense cost-of-living pressures. I'm sure they'll understand the seriousness of prices pushing higher.

I think it's important to revisit the conversation around 3D X-ray screening of luggage entering Australia and the need to establish a program with Indonesia. We're doing this, and it's good, and we support the move to do this for mail from high-risk areas. It's a very simple question: why not do this with suitcases as well? Again, this is not the voice of panic. This is a sensible proposition, and we would ask the government to consider it. It is very important. We have gone 130 years in Australia without foot-and-mouth disease. That's not been an easy task. It's not going to be an easy task to keep us that way, but it's a task that we absolutely must stand up to.

Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, this is classic of the Liberals and Nationals, claiming that they're the only political parties that represent regional electorates. I represent the electorate of Bendigo, which has significant livestock. Like the member for Blair's electorate, we have meat processing. Hardwicks, in my electorate, processes sheep and cattle. I also have significant cattle farms, piggeries and sheep farms in my electorate. The reason why I flag that is that this isn't a new issue. It's newish to Indonesia, but my farmers were first raising concern about this at least five or six years ago, and any member of parliament from a regional area who does their job would have been hearing the same concerns.

Foot-and-mouth disease was still a problem in Europe, and was Australia ready? The reason that is relevant is that it goes to the true character of those opposite and what they actually did when they were in government to prepare Australia, to prepare our borders, to prepare ourselves if there was a significant outbreak in one of the countries in our region. The fact that they can stand in here and move a motion like this, criticising us for picking up where they left a massive mess, cleaning it up and getting an action plan rolling within days of being elected is just extraordinary. It screams politics. That's all they are. If they were genuine representatives and if they were genuine about their legacy, they would have come in here saying, 'We got ourselves ready in government; now it's the new government and they're rolling out the job.' The fact is that we were left short, and it was a Labor government—and thankfully a Labor government was elected in May—that could be here to roll out the plan that we are now seeing.

Foot-and-mouth disease devastates livestock industries and it devastates throughout the supply chain, whether it be the farmers or the food processors or the retailers. If this disease were to hit Australian shores, it would be a problem. But, again, demonstrating the rhetoric of those opposite, they went straight to closing the border with Bali and banning tourists travelling there and banning people from Bali entering Australia. They were not listening to the science and not listening to the facts. The fact is that the majority of the disease that has entered Australia has entered through animal products from overseas being brought into Australia. That's the reality. It's not coming in on people's feet; it's coming in through the food. And there we have to look at what the previous government did in terms of our borders. They cut funding to the testing of products coming into this country. That's what they did. They focused so much elsewhere that they actually stopped food and other products from being imported. They actually reduced Border Force's budget in this critical area. They prioritised and put it somewhere else. So our government inherited a legacy problem. But, rather than scream about it, like those opposite are, we got straight into doing the job.

The response that we have seen from the minister for agriculture and from the Labor government has been phenomenal. They've introduced the toughest measures we've seen when it comes to this disease and other diseases of this nature. The minister should be congratulated for the way in which we have worked with industry, with farmers and with Indonesia, where the real threat is right now. It didn't happen under the previous government; it is happening under this government. And the relief that farmers in my electorate have—this is their life; this is their industry. They're not the big graziers that we see in Queensland, but they are significant. They produce a lot of Angus cattle. They produce a lot of merino wool. But, again, whether this disease is getting into our sheep for meat production or for wool production, if sheep were to be infected with this disease, they'd have to be destroyed.

I really want to see the opposition become more bipartisan on this issue and listen to their constituencies and listen to the stakeholders who are working with the government in getting on top of this disease. This is not the time to be playing politics. This is the time for us to work together. Yes, the mats are being rolled out. Yes, the vaccinations are being rolled out. Yes, we're getting on with the job. It's not a time for politics. It's actually a time to work together as a country to make sure that this disease does not enter Australia, and, where it does, that we're getting onto it quickly.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.