Australia supports Indonesia foot and mouth disease outbreak

The government has also ruled out banning flights to Indonesia.

The announcement follows a trip to Indonesia, where FMD has spread to every province, by Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, who was briefed on the country's efforts to reign in the disease.

Indonesia, Papua Guinea and Timor-Leste will share $5m for vaccine distribution, and technical support to strengthen laboratory capacity and diagnostic testing.

Mr Watt said the support was a direct result of his engagement with the Indonesian government.

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"It will provide technical assistance to support on-ground control officers and efforts in Indonesia, and it will provide epidemiological support to model the likely spread of the disease within Indonesia and the region," Mr Watt said.

"It's important that we show that we are standing side by side with those countries in their battle to contain this virus."

The remaining $9m will provide 18 new biosecurity officers for Australian airports and mail centres.

Mr Watt said although there was a lot of attention on travellers bring FMD into the country on their clothes or shoes, the most likely way of it coming into the country was through animal products, including meat or dairy products send via post.

"So it is important we ramp up our staffing at mail centres as well as at airports," Mr Watt said.

The funding will also pay for the It will also pay for the appointment of a Northern Australia coordinator to manage the development and delivery of surveillance and preparedness strategies.

"Lumpy skin disease is a particular threat to the north of our country because the way that is most likely to get into our country is mosquitoes who are in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, or Timor-Leste, being blown into Australia by wind, especially as we reach the disaster season and the cyclone season," Mr Watt said.

"So, having that Northern Australia coordinator in place will play a particular role in making sure that we have effective measures on the ground in Northern Australia."

Mr Watt said he could understand the calls from some Nationals politicians to ban travel to Bali, but ruled out such a "drastic measure".

"If we were to take such a drastic measure that would undoubtedly affect our trading relationship with Indonesia, quite apart from the damage it would do to Australia's tourism industry," he said.

"I've even had farm leaders say to me that they don't support that kind of move because of the damage that would do to our trading relationship with Indonesia."