Australia remains free of foot and mouth disease and calls to close the border are damaging, the agriculture minister says.

Murray Watt has criticised the opposition for causing “hysteria” and tarnishing Australia’s agricultural reputation.

“We have absolutely no evidence at all that the virus is in Australia … it does affect our international trade if people think that Australia has this disease,” he told ABC radio on Monday.

Industry leaders have reported being questioned by export partners about whether or not the livestock disease was spreading in Australia, Senator Watt said.

“It’s putting an extra workload on industry to ensure that correct information is being circulated to the world about the situation here,” he said.

“It distracts attention from the fact that we are free of the disease and we have the strongest ever response Australia has ever imposed for a biosecurity threat.”

The prime minister on Sunday defended the government’s position to keep the border with Indonesia open as the country battles an outbreak.

A number of biosecurity measurers have been rolled out to capture travellers from Indonesia, including shoe sanitation mats, information campaigns and increased passenger screening.

The agriculture minister has also implemented powers under the Biosecurity Act for the first time in Australia.

Senator Watt flagged further measures would be announced this week.

But opposition spokesman Dan Tehan says farmers want to see more action rather than announcements.

“People are hearing talk but they’re not seeing action on the ground,” he told Sky News.

“There is a complete void of information … there is a call for information and action and farmers do not feel they’re getting that from the government at the moment.”

– AAP

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