1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: We know that Indonesia has banned live cattle exports from 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 1: four Australian holding yards, including two top end facilities, after 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: lumpy skin disease was detected. Now Australia remains lumpy skin 4 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: disease free despite the positive test results in thirteen head 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: of cattle that were sent to Indonesia in recent weeks, 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: but that had been those cattle had been as I 7 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 1: understand it, in the Asian country for a period of time. 8 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: Now joining me on the line is the NT Cattleman's 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: Association Chief executive Will Evans. Good morning to you, Will. 10 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. Thanks having me on. 11 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: Yeah, thanks for joining us. Well, why have these two 12 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: top end facilities been banned when we don't have lumpy 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: skin in the territory. 14 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 2: Well, obviously Indonesia at this point in time is seeking 15 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 2: reassurances from the Northern Territory and from the Australian government 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 2: around our status. So what we're doing is we're working 17 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: through a process of providing them with a body of 18 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 2: evidence that supports us being lumpy skin disease free. Indonesia's 19 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: obviously taking the additional step of temporarily suspending these facilities, 20 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: and we need to work through a process now of 21 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 2: getting them reopened and getting them back in the market. 22 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: And so how do we do that will, because it 23 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 1: does seem as though, I mean, is it a pretty 24 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: extreme step that they've taken here. 25 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: Look, I think it's a step that, from their perspective, 26 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: is in line with their concerns. Obviously, what we need 27 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 2: to be doing is going through the process of meeting 28 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 2: those concerns and being responsive to what they're saying. I mean, 29 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: Indonesia is not just one of our most important trading partners, 30 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: they're also one of our most important regional partners. And 31 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 2: when a partner like that asks you a question like 32 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: what they've asked us, you answer it. And that's what 33 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 2: we're doing now. We're working through a process of understanding 34 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 2: exactly what we need to be giving them and then 35 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 2: going through the process of getting those facts and providing 36 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 2: them to them. So we're working through that now. It's 37 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 2: a very fluid situation. Obviously since Friday, I think I've 38 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: made maybe three hundred phone calls. And what we're doing 39 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: is really making sure that we're keeping the lines of 40 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: communication open and we're sharing information as it becomes available. 41 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: So talk us through that process. And what really needs 42 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: to happen. 43 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 2: So we'll go through a period of testing cattle this 44 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: year and the territory. We've already been doing a lot 45 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: of precautionary testing for lumpy skin. Primarily that's just to 46 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: make sure our systems are working, but producers have been 47 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 2: sending examples of cattle that fit that criteria for precautionary testing. 48 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 2: We've done a lot of them in the Northern Territory 49 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 2: so far this year. All of them come back negative, 50 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 2: so they'll form part of that body of evidence of 51 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 2: supporting our status have been free from lumpy skin disease. 52 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: Well, how big an impact is this band going to have? 53 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: Well, for us at the top end, I mean happily 54 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 2: we have other facilities that we can utilize, and the 55 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 2: facilities that are currently under suspension, they're able to continue 56 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 2: to supply other markets for which they have accreditation, like Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand. 57 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: So for them it's certainly an inconvenience. It's certainly going 58 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 2: to have an impact. But from an industry perspective, we 59 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: will continue to trade within the Nesia and we'll just 60 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: need to make sure that we're doing that in a 61 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 2: way that the Indonesians require us to. 62 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: And so I mean, from this point in time, I 63 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: guess that it is creating some uncertainty for our cattle 64 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: producers and for the industry here in the Northern territory, 65 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: is it I think it is. 66 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 2: But I mean, happily, for the first time in a 67 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: long time, we've had a really good season in an 68 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 2: northern territory, across the vast majority of the Northern territory, 69 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 2: So we've got a lot of grass on the ground 70 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 2: and we've got a lot of water and paddock still. 71 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 2: So for us, if we need to hold cut a 72 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 2: little bit longer, it is something we can do and 73 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 2: hopefully what we can see is a resolution to this 74 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 2: issue and we go back to business as normal. 75 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: I mean, you guys, like there is always plenty of 76 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: surveillance that goes on, like prior to this situation unfolding anyway, 77 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: isn't there? 78 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 2: Yes, Yeah, so just normal business. We do a lot 79 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 2: of surveillance. I would say we have some of the 80 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 2: best bier security systems in the world, and what we've 81 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 2: seen this year is produced is voluntarily engaging with those 82 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 2: sort of testing. You know, it's not something that we're 83 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 2: required to do. It's something that we've been doing just 84 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: as a matter of good course, and there's something that 85 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 2: will continue to be doing. I mean, the importance of 86 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: us remaining free from disease is not is certainly, I 87 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 2: mean for the industry, it's critical to us in the future. 88 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: So it's something that we've been doing just as a 89 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 2: matter of course, something will continue to do in the future, 90 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,119 Speaker 2: and it's something that we've certainly committed to. But yeah, 91 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 2: this is a difficult situation and we're hoping to see 92 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 2: a resolution to it as soon as possible. 93 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: I mean, talk us through and talk our listeners through. 94 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: How important the Indonesian export marketing is when you talk 95 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: about the northern territories cattile exports. 96 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 2: So in a good year will export four hundred thousand 97 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: headed light cattle to Indonesia. Indonesia is also one of 98 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 2: our biggest box beef trades, so obviously the box beef 99 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 2: won't leave from the territory, but it will get processed 100 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 2: in Queensland and down south. Territory cattle will get processed 101 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 2: in Queensland down South and they'll end up in Indonesia 102 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 2: as well. So for US, Indonesia is an enormous market. 103 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 2: It's a very important market that you know. Like I said, 104 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 2: if I ask a question, we answer. 105 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: Well, any idea how long this ban's going to be 106 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: in place for those two those two top end facilities. 107 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: No, at this stage, I don't have that information. Where 108 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: it's very very fluid at the moment. I mean, we've 109 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 2: been having since Friday. We've had a number of book 110 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 2: ups with the Federal Governor, We've had a number of 111 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 2: book cups with the minister, and we've had a lot 112 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 2: of conversations internally at the NTCA as well. So for us, 113 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: it's making sure we're in the best position possible to 114 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 2: meet those requests when they come through. And its Northern 115 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 2: Territory government is being very good in this situation as well. Luckily, 116 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 2: we have a lot of people in government with significant 117 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 2: capacity in this area and so we're really required relying 118 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: on their expertise as well, and to date, I couldn't 119 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 2: speak more highly of the way they've been handling this situation. 120 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: Well, look, keep us up to date, Do let us 121 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: know how things progress. I'd be very interested, you know, 122 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:57,679 Speaker 1: to find out when they are able to obviously able 123 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: to get moving again. So please do keep us up today. 124 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: We'll talk to you again very soon. 125 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: Thanks Scott. I really appreciate it. 126 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: Thank you.