Audio courtesy of Nadia Mitsopoulos and ABC Radio Perth.
Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt on FMD
But importantly, I want to bring this to you while I’m still statewide. So those of you in the regions can listen to the Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, who has just announced a new taskforce, will be created to help plan for an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Australia. Experts have assessed the risk of a foot and mouth disease incursion in Australia in the next five years, as 11.6% and 28% for lumpy skin disease So it is prudent to make sure that we are prepared.
Now the new Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness Taskforce will include officials from a range of government departments, including the Australian Defence Force, Australian Border Force and Animal Health Australia. By bringing together the best expertise from across government, we can ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. If there were to be an outbreak and that there are no gaps in our response.
Importantly, this taskforce will be co-led by a senior officer of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Director General of Emergency Management Australia. Bringing together both the experts in biosecurity and animal health and our experts in disaster management. It will work closely with states, territories and industry to ensure that we are all fully prepared if an outbreak were to occur. The taskforce will get to work immediately conducting a series of scenario based exercises within the next month. Okay.
That was the Federal Agriculture Minister Murray. What they are announcing a new taskforce which will help plan for an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Australia. And that covers a wide range of departments, defence, border force, obviously agriculture So you’ll hear more about that obviously throughout the day.
