The damage to the British economy should be a salient lesson to New Zealand not to relax for a moment in its vigil against foot and mouth disease entering this country said ACT Rural Affairs Spokesman Owen Jennings

“Reports of severely damaged confidence and falling growth figures in an economy that is no where near as dependent on agriculture as New Zealand’s should push our Government into re-energising its efforts to prevent the disease entering our country.

“While the entry of people into this country is now being more carefully managed, there is still a need to improve the attention to products, machinery and other material coming in both by ship and air.

“A recent survey of some 8000 rural people by the ACT party showed that those people were alarmed by the casual way the Coalition Govt handled border controls immediately following the outbreak of foot and mouth in the UK. The survey revealed deep concern at how little was being done by the Government on such a critical issue.

“We need constant reminders that our economy would be shattered if foot and mouth entered New Zealand,” Owen Jennings said.

ENDS

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