Foot and mouth disease: Agriculture Minister Murray Watt announces Indonesian funds

Ag Minister Murray Watt’s shoes have been given a scrubbing after returning from Indonesia, as the footbath debate continues.

Australia will direct $14 million to Indonesian efforts to target foot and mouth disease, among other livestock contagions.

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt returned from Indonesia on Friday, confirming aid not only for FMD but lumpy skin disease as well.

This week, Senator Watt said $500,000 would be channelled through Meat and Livestock Australia to work with Indonesian feedlots on FMD.

Of the $14 million package, $5 million will be spent on FMD and lumpy skin disease vaccination and mitigation efforts in Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea.

“We are now risk-profiling 100 per cent of passengers that come into Australia from Indonesia,” Senator Watt told reporters on Friday.

“(The profiling) will be based on factors such as where they’ve travelled before, whether they’ve ever had any other biosecurity issues around them, and a range of other factors,” he told reporters.

Senator Watt’s shoes were taken away to be cleaned and detector dogs inspected his belongings before passing through quarantine upon his return to Australia.

I know people are worried about FMD entering Aus. That’s why I tested our biosecurity ops on my return from Jakarta. 100% of travellers from Indonesia now risk profiled. Those deemed a risk/who declare on passenger card sent for full screening. Here’s a thread on how it works. pic.twitter.com/7YZxYggRR7

— Senator Murray Watt (@MurrayWatt) July 15, 2022

The Minister visited several agriculture-related sites during his 48-hour trip to Indonesia.

However, Senator Watt has ruled out a travel freeze with Indonesia or foot baths for return passengers during interviews this week.

“I’ve received no advice from biosecurity experts in Australia that that’s the kind of thing that we should do,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has announced $500,000 will be directed to Indonesian efforts to fight foot and mouth disease.

FMD was first detected in Indonesia in late April, with extra biosecurity protocols introduced last week.

Experts say its spread to Bali means there is a real threat it could make its way to Australia on the shoes or clothes of returning holiday-makers.

National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson and Australian chief veterinary officer Mark Schipp are also part of the ministerial delegation.

“It’s a very brief visit but a very focused one,” Senator Watt said.

“Why I’m here (in Jakarta), it’s that it’s got to be a two-pronged approach.

“We’ve got to keep taking those tougher measures at home. But we’ve also got to be working with our friends internationally to bring this outbreak under control.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney’s office was contacted by The Weekly Timesabout Victoria’s approach to FMD.

Questions were redirected to an Agriculture Victoria spokesman, who said: “Foot and mouth disease can have serious impacts on our agricultural sector and that’s why recent detections of the disease in Indonesia are concerning.

“We support any additional biosecurity measures at our ports and airports to help prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease into Australia.”