Call to quarantine travellers from Bali to stop ‘biblical’ spread of foot-and-mouth

A North Queensland senator has warned that if Aussies don’t take foot-and-mouth disease seriously, they will see the cost of everyday items skyrocket.

Australian travellers returning from Bali could face tough restrictions as fears grow over the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

North Queensland senator Susan McDonald is calling for tighter border restrictions similar to those employed during the Covid pandemic, including quarantine procedures for returning passengers, to stop the spread of the disease in its tracks.

The highly contagious disease is spreading rapidly through Indonesia and fears are escalating for the safety of livestock.

“We cannot overstate the impact of foot and mouth disease if it got into this country,” Ms McDonald told Sunrise on Thursday.

“It‘s a cruel disease.”

The North Queensland senator is warning Bali tourists of how easy it is to carry the disease home with them. Picture: Kendall Hill

The senator warned that Australian farmers will have to destroy healthy animals inside of a quarantine zone.

“Consumers would pay more for red meat, milk, pork,” she said.

“Whatever price we pay now will look cheap in the years and months ahead.”

She said a week of quaratine for returned travellers should be considered.

If an outbreak occurred in Australia, it would be likely necessitate mass slaughter of animals and could cost as much as $80 billion nationwide in a single year.

The LNP senator explained that unintentionally bringing the disease back into the country is a risk for anyone who has walked through Bali’s streets.

The senator is calling on flights to Bali to be cancelled. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“They might think about “I haven‘t been on a farm,” but what we’re saying is in Bali you have contact with animals and people who work with animals,” Ms McDonald said.

“There is dung you can walk through, drag your suitcase through”

“The impact of getting this wrong is catastrophic, it is biblical proportions the impact it would have on Australian farmers, Australian animals and Australian consumers.”

NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole said on Wednesday that the disease was “right now on our doorstep”.

The disease will be felt in Aussies’ hip pocket when meat and milk prices rise. Picture: AFP

Mr Toole urged travellers to be safe rather than sorry and to make sure they don’t bring contaminated soil into Australia.

He even pleaded with Bali tourists to leave their shoes behind before returning home.

Foot and mouth disease is one of the most serious livestock diseases in the world and affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, sheep, and pigs.

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has not occurred in Australia in 130 years.