Call for border shutdown ‘doesn’t make sense’

Cutting Australia off from Indonesia over foot and mouth disease fears would have “extraordinary” devastating consequences for the economy and trade relationship, industry groups warn.

Australia will not close its borders to Indonesia, the government has confirmed, as livestock industry groups warn such a move would have “extraordinary” devastating consequences for the economy and trade relationship.

Senior Coalition members including Queensland’s Karen Andrews and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce joined calls for the government to close the border to Indonesia in order to prevent an incursion of industry-destroying foot and mouth disease.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said the option of border closures should be on the table.

The disease infects cloven-hoofed animals and people can carry it on their shoes, clothes or in their noses where it can survive for up to 24 hours.

The number of Australians travelling to Bali on holiday has risen significantly in recent months after years of a Covid-induced hiatus, sparking fears the increased traffic could bring FMD to Australia – a disaster that would cost the economy an estimated $80bn.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has also underlined the risk of FMD coming into Australia via imported meat products was greater than from travellers.

He said cutting off travel to nations with FMD would be “incredibly damaging to our trade relationship”.

National Farmers Federation chief executive Tony Mahar said shutting the borders was “an extremely drastic measure that will have a whole range of unintended consequences”.

Australian Live Export Council chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton said the commercial and diplomatic ramifications of shutting the border to Indonesia would be “extraordinary” and “bigger” than the economic wipe-out of the 2011 live cattle export ban.

The ultimately unlawful snap export ban cost the industry billions of dollars, bankrupted graziers, caused significant mental harm and sullied relations with Indonesia.

“Cutting off a country from its nearest neighbour, it doesn’t make sense … it doesn’t address the risk appropriately,” Mr Harvey-Sutton said.

“What Indonesia needs at the moment is as much help from Australia as possible.”

The federal government on Wednesday announced extra measures to fight FMD, including installing citric acid foot mats at all international airports, starting with Darwin and Cairns.

It follows on from a $14m package announced last week, with $5m heading to Indonesia, Timor Leste and PNG for biosecurity measures – the other $9m would be spent on domestic defences.

This includes hiring 18 additional biosecurity officers at Australian airports and mail centres as well as more detector dogs at Cairns and Darwin airports.