As talked about earlier this morning, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pushed again on calls to think about shutting the border with Indonesia over the nation’s foot and mouth outbreak.
Farming and enterprise teams have backed retaining the border open. However that doesn’t imply Nationals chief David Littleproud is proud of the federal authorities’s actions.
Nationals chief David Littleproud.Credit score:Alex Ellinghausen
Right here’s what he instructed the As we speak present:
The federal government’s been doing too little too late on all this.
Three weeks in the past we mentioned that they need to look to herald these foot mats. They nonetheless haven’t bought the foot mats in [until today or tomorrow]. We’ve mentioned that they need to cease individuals getting back from Indonesia with meals product. That may make it quite a bit simpler on our biosecurity officers. They haven’t thought of that. And we now have requested for the science. What’s that – what’s that threshold query that must be answered about what level [do you have to close the border]?
And right here’s Littleproud’s response when pressed on whether or not he helps a border closure given farmers, at this stage, don’t need one:
Nicely, I’m not towards it till I see the science.
What’s that threshold? Have we crossed that precipice? I don’t know whether or not we now have.
I believe it’s vital for this authorities to be sincere with not solely us and the Australian individuals, however Indonesia. If we do have to drag that set off, we have to say to the Indonesians, that is the purpose.
That’s what a superb neighbour and good governments ought to do. Sadly, they [Labor] don’t perceive agriculture. We are going to all pay. They should get on with the job and get it sorted.
