It is no surprise that with the looming threats on Australia's doorstep, and the impact they will have on the nation's agriculture sector, that when Fiona Simpson addressed delegates at the NSW Farmers Association conference biosecurity was a key talking point.
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Nearly half of the National Farmers Federation president's presentation was spent speaking on biosecurity.
Ms Simpson said the Bali threat had bought biosecurity to the forefront of people's minds.
"Biosecurity is critical and right now with the outbreak in Indonesia of lumpy skin disease (LSD) and foot and mouth disease (FMD), Australian agriculture is really feeling like it is five minutes to midnight," she said.
"There are a couple of things I need to say.
"One of them is why are we so concerned with the outbreak in Indonesia?
"That's because at the moment it is pretty much uncontrolled. The Indonesian government is doing everything they can do at the moment to try and get on top of it.
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"The other thing to remember is that FMD is in another approximately 20 countries around the world.
"The reason that the risk has doubled from nine per cent to closer to 18, is because the fact that at the moment it is pretty much uncontrolled.
"It is not really under control in the other 20 countries either.
"We have known for a long time in Australia that the risk profile, the profile of the likelihood of risks coming to Australia has been increasing exponentially.
"If you think about the last 10 years we have had things like myrtle rust now being found in Australia, Khapra beetle, fire ant, Japanese encephalitis. All of these diseases have arrived in the last 10 years."
Ms Simpson said increased and sustainable funding was only one of the issues requiring attention to improve biosecurity at our borders.
"When you look at the variety of risks that are coming our way, we need to ramp biosecurity up a lot," she said.
"That is the discussions we are having with Murray Watt and that is the discussions he has been having with his government.
"While we are very appreciative of what measures the government has put in place and very quickly, there are still a lot of gaps.
"We think they can do more and they need to do more, and we keep pushing them to do more.
"Funding has flatlined for biosecurity.
"We need to find sustainable funding for biosecurity."
Ms Simpson said that there was also an onus on farmers as well.
"One case in Australia will bring a complete livestock standstill," she said.
"It is critical farmers get their biosecurity plans out."
