Report reveals ‘catastrophe’ if foot-and-mouth makes it to Australia

Australia’s cattle capital would face a ‘catastrophic’ economic impact and 33,000 job losses if the disease made its way into the country.

Officers spray disinfectant on a cattle farm that has been infected with foot and mouth disease in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Picture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

Australia’s cattle capital would face a “catastrophic” economic impact if foot-and-mouth disease made its way into the country, with a new report predicting a $1.1bn hit to the central and western Queensland economy and ­almost 34,000 job losses.

The AEC report, commissioned by Regional Development Australia Central and Western Queensland, shows the devastating impact the arrival of foot-and-mouth disease would have in Australia and highlights the ­importance of increased biosecurity measures at Australia‘s airports and mail depots.

It comes as Anthony Albanese defended his government’s response to the escalating foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia and warned of an international “response” if Australia were to close its borders to Indonesia.

If the virus, which causes sickness and production loss in ­cloven-hoofed animals, is detected in Australia, it would mean the immediate suspension of beef ­exports and likely result in large-scale culling of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

The RDA report shows the western Queensland and Banana regions, which account for more of Australia‘s cattle herd than any other region, would suffer gross regional product losses of 37.3 per cent and 10.1 per cent, respectively.

The direct impact on jobs in the region is estimated at 33,726 and more than 30 per cent of jobs in western Queensland would be hit.

According to Meat and Livestock Australia, the Fitzroy Basin is home to 2.55 million cattle – by far the most of any district in the country. The western Queensland desert channels have the third most, with 1.27 million head.

Known as the “beef capital”, Rockhampton, on the central Queensland coast, would take an immediate hit of almost 4 per cent of its gross regional product.

The report says the impacts would flow to other sectors like manufacturing and road transport, which rely on the success of the livestock industry.

RDA CWQ director of regional development Tony Gambling said his organisation commissioned the report to emphasise the significance of the issue to policymakers.

“We wanted to be able to say to the Prime Minister and (Agriculture Minister) Murray Watt that it is too late once it’s already in,” he said. “We paid the money and did the work so we can show we’re not just Chicken Little saying ‘the sky is falling’. I think the feds are doing a good job. We just need them to understand you can’t fail even once at this. Even once is too late.”

Indonesia is battling an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, a highly-contagious disease that affects hooved animals such as cows and pigs and threatens to devastate the livestock industry if not eradicated. Picture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

It comes amid reports from travellers returning from Indo­nesia saying they faced little scrutiny when they went through Customs. Sanitation foot mats, promised by Senator Watt, are yet to be seen at some airports.

Mr Albanese said his government had implemented stricter biosecurity regulation than had ever been seen.

“These are the strongest measures introduced by an Australian government ever in terms of biosecurity when it comes to foot and mouth disease,” he said on Sky News. “(We will) do everything within our power to stop this disease coming into Australia, which of course would have a severe impact on our economy.”

Mr Albanese was reluctant to close the border to Indonesia, saying: “If we do that … then there of course will be a response.

“What we‘re trying to avoid is an impact … on our trade and you don’t do that by just jumping to a position that the former government never ever implemented,” he said.

North Queensland-based Nat­ionals senator Susan McDonald said Australia should adopt a model similar to New Zealand, asking arrivals to declare contact with grass and mud and banning passengers from bringing food into the country.

Currently, passengers entering Australia must declare food products, which are then assessed by biosecurity officers.

“Australia is betting the farm, literally, on its response and to date there are still simple bio­security responses that have not been implemented consistently on our borders, while the production of vaccines is still well behind what is required to assist our near neighbours with controlling their outbreak, before considering what could be required here,” Senator McDonald said.