Thank you, Deputy Speaker.

I’d like to note, first off, that Foot and Mouth disease does not currently exist in Australia.

The risk of it entering has been classed by experts as being at about 11 per cent over the next five years.

But I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that if we are not vigilant, this disease has the potential to ravage our nation’s agriculture sector.

In a worst-case scenario, it’s estimated it could cost us $80 billion over several years.

Our beef and livestock industries would be devastated, our wool and dairy industries would also suffer, and countless jobs would be at risk.

Everyday food items could become more expensive.

Indeed, confidence in the market has already been rattled, and we hope our response will encourage confidence to return.

So this is a disease we take extremely seriously.

And as I said, it does not exist in Australia, and has not since 1872.

I’m very pleased that the Federal Government has acted so swiftly in response, and has implemented a number of protective measures.

Back in June, the Commonwealth gave biosecurity a $14 million funding increase.

We’ve added more detector dogs at Darwin and Cairns airports, and rolled out sanitation foot mats at all international airports.

We’ve been raising awareness for all Australian travellers, particularly to Indonesia, to be extra vigilant about cleaning their shoes and clothes if they’ve been anywhere near livestock or in rural areas or markets.

For my electorate of Solomon, this is particularly important.

Darwin is just a short flight to Denpasar, and Territorians like so many other Australians love to holiday in Indonesia, our near neighbour.

I’m urging travellers to follow all the biosecurity advice upon their return home to keep our country safe.

I ask for their patience with the additional measures, which include:

* Wider screening of passengers, luggage, parcels and postage in airports and mail centres

* Increased vigilance across all flights arriving from Indonesia, including Bali

* A review of import permits for products from Indonesia that may carry Foot And Mouth Disease, and a suspension of any that are worrying, including for meat and dairy, stockfeed, and grain

*We are also informing travellers and the public of the risks and their biosecurity responsibilities

This is also why it was so disappointing to learn this morning that a traveller tried to sneak two beef sausage McMuffins and a ham croissant into Australia.

It’s the most expensive Macca’s meal he’s ever had, copping a fine of over $2,600.

Hopefully that traveller and everyone else thinking of doing something similar will understand that biosecurity is no joke.

It was, however, encouraging to hear that Indonesia believes that it has eradicated Foot And Mouth Disease from its herds in Bali, even as the disease is proving harder to squash elsewhere in the country.

Australia is committed to helping our close neighbour and good friend do whatever we can to assist in getting this outbreak under control.

Agriculture Minister Senator Murray Watt travelled to Indonesia a few weeks ago to offer that assistance in person, demonstrating how seriously the Commonwealth is taking this.

The Northern Territory has a thriving beef export industry, selling as we do such high quality meat around the world.

The risks to us should this disease reach our shores would be utterly colossal.

So we need to keep this in perspective, and be calm but alert.

I commend Minister Watt and the Agriculture Department for their tireless work on this, and I urge all Australians to do their part to keep Foot and Mouth Disease out.