The federal government has invoked new biosecurity powers at Australian airports as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) spreads through Indonesia.
Biosecurity response zones will be set up at international airports, and in the coming days every traveller returning from Indonesia will be compelled to use foot mats or take other directions regarding biosecurity.
At present, individual passengers deemed to be a risk need to be asked, and have to agree, to use foot mats and have their shoes cleaned.
The new measures will make this process mandatory under a three-month trial, but will only apply to those travellers returning from Indonesia.
It is the first time the rules have been used since the 2015 Biosecurity Act was introduced.
Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the changes were the latest measure in the strongest biosecurity response in Australia's history.
"We have already announced a $14 million assistance package to reduce the risk of FMD spreading from Bali to Australia which included increased detection and protection here in Australia and a million vaccines for the Indonesian cattle industry," Senator Watt said.
"I also announced the deployment of sanitisation foot mats at all international airports as an additional layer of protection for returning travellers from Indonesia.
There have been calls from some members of the federal opposition — including former Agriculture Minister David Littleproud — to consider closing the border to Indonesia.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Senator Watt and National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson both dismissed the idea.
"It would put at risk a trade that is very valuable."
FMD has long been present in countries beyond Indonesia, but the proposed measures reflect the heightened concern of the disease's spread in such a near neighbour.
Australia remains FMD free, despite detections of viral fragments in meat products this week in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Ms Simson, who travelled to Indonesia with Senator Watt last week to inspect biosecurity and market arrangements, said it was imperative the live virus did not enter the local livestock industry.
"If even one case was to emerge in Australia, farmers would be faced with heart-wrenching decisions around the extermination, culling and euthanasing of livestock to stop the spread of the disease," she said.
"We can not allow this to happen."
Amid an increasingly politicised debate, Senator Watt called for calm and said Australia's reputation as a clean agricultural producer remained intact.
"Australian meat products are safe to eat. We continue to enjoy the cleanest, safest meat and dairy products in the world," he said.
