Following the Labor Governments failure to adequately respond to the increased Foot and mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia Federal Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce is calling on those in New England to make sure their voices are heard.
You can do this by signing a petition started by a farmer based in regional New South Wales, calling on Minister for Agriculture Murray Watt to increase biosecurity measures to at least these four key points.
- Biosecurity detector dogs to be rolled out at all international airports
across Australia. - Screening and spraying of all check-in and carry-on luggage coming from Indonesia with a non-toxic disinfectant spray.
- All shoes being brought in from Indonesia via carry-on and check-in luggage and being worn by travellers are to be confiscated and disposed of by incineration.
- All shoes are to be removed, cleaned of any dry matter, and disinfected by biosecurity staff with virkon prior to entry to Australia.
Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said these are simple, common-sense steps that could be implemented almost instantly.
“If Murray Watt had any sense, he and the Labor government would be acting now to protect farms and livestock in the regions,” Mr Joyce said.
“The ABARES has predicted $80 billion could be wiped from the Australian economy if this disease breaks out on our shore, and all the Minister can do is run a social media message from his office on the Gold Coast.
“This is an early test of competency for the new Labor government and what we hear thus far is they are more interested in legislation to change the weather than actions to stop what could be one of the greatest economic hits to our economy in a generation,” Mr Joyce said.
You can sign the petition at https://chng.it/TGzHtmCp65