Biosecurity ramped up at Perth Royal Show with $2m State Government spend for discounted tickets and foot mats

The Perth Royal Show is deploying its strictest biosecurity measures in its long-standing history with new rules put in place in response to the $80 billion threat posed by foot-and-mouth disease. The disease has sparked fears among WA farmers after an outbreak was detected in Indonesia in July. WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the WA Government had invested in mitigating the FMD risk by implementing sanitation mats and hand sanitiser stations at the entrance to livestock displays, visitor restrictions around livestock displays and cautionary signage. She said Royal Agricultural Society of WA animal health staff would also be on hand to raise visitors’ awareness about FMD risk and help them comply with biosecurity requirements. “We have put a special focus on biosecurity,” Ms MacTiernan said. “Given the highlighted risk with foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease, we are helping the Royal Agricultural Society promote that message and take special care.” The Royal Agricultural Society confirmed last month that livestock exhibits and competitions would remain a part of this year’s Perth Royal Show, despite the ongoing threat of foot-and-mouth disease. Ms MacTiernan said the measures were part of a $2 million package that included discounted ticket prices and the ramped up biosecurity measures. Tickets will 25 per cent cheaper through the scheme, meaning they will be capped at $57 for families. “The Perth Royal Show is a great celebration of our primary industries — showcasing the diversity, sophistication and sustainability of modern agriculture,” she said. “It connects the city to the country, and we are subsidising tickets again to maximise access to the show for West Australians.” This year’s event will include an agricultural precinct for the first time with the aim of engaging more people with the important industry. The Perth Royal Show is one of WA’s biggest events, attracting more than 350,000 people each year. Ms MacTiernan said she hoped the show could top that this year and with the subsidised tickets it was the “cheapest show in all of Australia” and a “great day out” for families. “It is a premier event where we celebrate agriculture and bring the city and country together, there is a really important interchange of city and country,” she said. “We will have a bigger focus than ever on agriculture, it will be more agriculturally focused than it has been in the past.” Regarding biosecurity, Ms MacTiernan said the Perth Royal Show presented a great opportunity to promote the importance of biosecurity. “Having 350,000 people coming through the gates to physically learn about biosecurity is a very important way to make the show safe and to get the message out,” she said. “We have incursions on our doorsteps ... not only do we have to increase biosecurity but this is a way to get that message out to the community that everyone has a role to play.” Ms MacTiernan sparked outrage among livestock producers last month when playing down the potential impact of FMD’s arrival in WA, specifically for saying “it would not be catastrophic” and that “some people might argue it might actually make (animal products) cheaper because there’ll be more of it available domestically”. She later apologised for those comments, saying the Government was throwing everything it had at the disease.