The federal government have announced a $14 million funding package as part of a desperate bid to stop foot and mouth disease entering Australia - but calls to close Australia's border with Indonesia have been rejected. | micksfoley
Calls to close the border to Indonesia have been rejected by federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, as he announces a $14 million funding package as part of a desperate bid to stop the devastating foot and mouth livestock disease entering Australia.
The remaining $9 million will be spent in Australia on 18 new biosecurity officers who would be dispatched to airports and mail centres, as foot and mouth can be carried on objects that were made from or contacted with infected animals. Industry leaders including Consolidated Pastoral Company chief executive Troy Setter and Australian Livestock Exporters Council chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton said the border to Indonesia should remain open because tourism was too important to Australia’s major trading partner in Indonesia.
“I’m not just going to take a stab in the dark and do things because they sound good to people,” Watt said.
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