Meat imports from FMD countries banned for personal use

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said new restrictions were the next step in the government's three-pronged approach to tackling FMD.

Under the existing rules, no animal products are allowed into Australia unless they meet strict biosecurity requirements, which were tightened when the Indonesia FMD outbreak reached Bali.

"But prior to these new changes, private citizens were able to bring in some highly processed meat products for personal use - products like pâté, pork crackling or meat floss," Mr Watt said.

"With the ongoing spread of diseases like FMD and lumpy skin disease, I asked my department to review our import settings for risk products from all countries with FMD, not just Indonesia."

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Companies can still import meat products from FMD countries, however Mr Watt said there was already a strict process in place for commercial importers.

"Anyone who wants to bring in a meat product into Australia from any country needs to have an import certificate to do so," Mr Watt said.

"When the disease first reached Indonesia, even before it got to Bali, the Department of Agriculture actually tightened the rules around those who want to import, for commercial reasons, meat and dairy products and a number of products had their certificates actually suspended.

"What this is about doing is adding another layer of protection to people who bring it in for personal consumption."

Mr Watt said while FMD had been endemic in countries around the world for decades, this was the first time such strong measures had been enforced.

"The former government did not take this action in response to previous overseas outbreaks, but after considering the evidence, we are not prepared to accept this risk," he said.

Nationals leader and Coalition agriculture spokesperson David Littleproud said his party had been calling for the simple ban on returning passengers from Indonesia carrying food products since 22 July.

"The Nationals made this call following a briefing by the Department and because the risk profile changed once FMD arrived in Bali due to the sheer number of returning passengers to Australia," Mr Littleproud said.

"We were dismissed, the Minister then admitted the Department was considering such a ban and now we have a ban coming in. Who is making the decisions in this government?"