Calls have intensified to ban flights to and from Indonesia as Parliament resumes amid growing fears of a food and mouth outbreak in Australia that would cripple the country’s $27 billion livestock industry.

On Monday, one of Australia’s biggest beef producers, Gina Rinehart, urged politicians to ramp up biosecurity responses, while Federal Agricultural Minister Murray Watt told Cabinet colleagues there was an “11.6 per cent chance” FMD would get to Australia in five years.

Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association CEO Will Evans told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings the 90 per cent of beef producers in the top end of the country he represents acknowledged the speed of the federal government’s response had improved in recent weeks, but more action was needed.

“I think they’re getting there, they’re taking it much more seriously, we’re still getting reports coming through of … the screening [at airports] not always happening,” he said.

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