Tourism leaders say any talk of suspending travel with Bali or reintroducing restrictions could seriously threaten the industry, as it struggles to get back on its feet after the pandemic.
Australia's Agriculture Minister Murray Watt today ruled out a ban on flights from Indonesia as a way to prevent a devastating livestock disease from entering the country.
Earlier, a Queensland LNP Senator had called for a suspension on flights to the tourist hot spot immediately amid escalating concerns about the outbreak of foot-and-mouth-disease in Indonesia.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Brett Fraser said the industry relied on consumer confidence and certainty.
"Over the last three years, we've seen first-hand that a healthy visitor economy is dependent on reliability and consumer confidence," Mr Fraser said.
Bali has experienced a resurgence in Australian travellers since COVID restrictions were lifted.
More than 1,400 passengers from Bali have been travelling through the Cairns Airport in Far North Queensland every week, while Brisbane Airport received 23,000 passengers in the past month.
LNP Senator Susan McDonald said travel needed to stop immediately; a suggestion that has been dismissed by the government.
"If we're not going to halt flights, impose a seven-day quarantine," Ms McDonald said.
She said foot-and-mouth disease could have an impact of biblical proportions on the red meat industry in Australia
"I don't want to be sitting here in weeks or months to come saying I wish we had hit pause back when we had the opportunity," she said.
Measures in place
Mr Watt is in Indonesia today to discuss the outbreak.
Mr Watt said he hadn't received any advice from biosecurity experts that suggested shutting down travel to Indonesia was necessary.
Biosecurity measures have been introduced into airports across the country for flights returning from Bali.
They include biosecurity detector dogs being introduced into the Darwin and Cairns Airports.
Additional signage and the distribution of flyers have also been introduced at major airports and extra training has been provided for biosecurity staff.
Controlling the spread
More than 300,000 animals in Indonesia have been infected with the disease since it was first detected in the country in May.
Ms McDonald said many travellers could be unknowingly bringing the disease to Australian shores.
"The travellers going to Bali are travelling to go surfing, to have cultural interactions but not remembering that the pig farm or the cattle being farmed right next to the resort they are staying in," she said.
"The wheels of their suitcase can be running through dung in the streets of the cities, the footwear that they are wearing even clothes if they have gone somewhere and they've patted or touched one of the animals in the streets or the animals nearby.
"This is not a disease that is only possible to spread if you've been onto a farm."
