Call to cancel all Bali flights to stop ‘biblical’ spread of foot-and-mouth

North Queensland senator Susan McDonald called for similar measures to those introduced at the height of the Covid pandemic

Flights from Bali to Australia could be cancelled over fears of a foot-and-mouth outbreak of “biblical proportions”.

North Queensland senator Susan McDonald called for similar measures to those introduced at the height of the Covid pandemic to protect livestock from the highly contagious disease, which has started to spread in parts of Indonesia.

There are fears it could spread into Australia on tourists’ shoes or clothes.

If a foot-and-mouth outbreak occurred in Australia, it would be the first in 130 years. It would likely necessitate mass slaughter of animals and could cost as much as $80 billion nationwide in a single year.

A vet inspects cattle for foot-and-mouth disease in Bandar Lampung, in Indonesia’s Lampung province. (Photo by PERDIANSYAH / AFP)

“We saw a swift closing of borders with Covid, and I believe similar measures should be discussed for foot-and-mouth, and if not flight suspensions, then quarantine for returning passengers,” Senator McDonald said.

“Some people will say this is an over-reaction and will adversely affect the Indonesian economy, but the devastation of a foot-and-mouth outbreak in Australia would be widespread to not just producers but consumers and taxpayers as well.“It is truly difficult to comprehend how bad this would be which is why it is critical that we do not allow foot-and-mouth into Australia.”

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said Australia was taking “strong action” to protect livestock from foot-and-mouth.

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

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.

“Leave your shoes behind because you actually bring up the risk of bringing the disease back into this country,” Mr Toole said.

The federal government, which is responsible for biosecurity, said it would assess all passengers on flights from Indonesia and identify “high-risk passengers for intervention”.

The extra security measures were likely to make returning from Indonesia a lengthier process, but Mr Toole said it would be worth it.

“We want to make sure that 100 per cent of passengers returning have been screened, I don’t care if it takes an extra two hours for passengers getting off the plane,” he said.

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.