DAFFnews - Issue 188

6 July 2012

• The Australian Government have released a new draft biosecurity bill for public and industry feedback
• Welcome to our Biosecurity Blog
• Horsham to host the fourth ABARES Regional Outlook conference of 2012 on 25 July
• Cirque du Soleil jumps through biosecurity hoops
• DAFF’s post entry quarantine site revealed

The Australian Government have released a new draft biosecurity bill for public and industry feedback

The Australian Government is developing new legislation to replace the century-old Quarantine Act 1908 to create a responsive and flexible operating environment.

The new legislation is designed to enable us to better manage the risks of animal and plant pests and diseases entering, establishing and spreading in Australia and potentially causing harm to people, the environment and the economy. Australia's new legislation will be a cornerstone of reform with the implementation of a risk-based approach to biosecurity management.

The Australian public and industry are invited to have their say on the new biosecurity legislation by attending a public consultation meeting, making a formal submission, emailing or calling us or commenting on our newly created biosecurity legislation blog.

For more information visit the Biosecurity reform page.

The formal consultation period closes on Friday 10 August 2012.

Welcome to our Biosecurity Blog

DAFF is taking its first step into online consultation this week through the launch of the Biosecurity Blog to consult Australia and the world about the draft biosecurity legislation. The new legislation has been drafted to replace the Quarantine Act of 1908.

Everyone will be able to join the conversation that will inform the future biosecurity legislation. Those individuals, businesses and sectors who use our systems can directly communicate their views and expertise. The blog will be used, as a part of a wider consultation process, to provide an opportunity for people to ask questions and share ideas.

Improving our consultation with stakeholders is a key focus for DAFF and this is our first endeavour in using blogs to inform our policy development. Using social media for consultation is a new way for us to make it easier for people to understand what we do and how to work with us.

Further information about the outcomes of these consultations will be provided in the coming months.

Horsham to host the fourth ABARES Regional Outlook conference of 2012 on 25 July

What is the economic outlook for the Horsham region? Are you interested in creating the future through regional development? These issues and more will be explored at the Horsham Regional Outlook conference on Wednesday 25 July 2012.

This one-day conference will showcase a mix of local and ABARES speakers with four sessions on the Global economy – local impacts,Toward a more productive agriculture, Operating in a changing environment and a closing panel discussion on Creating the future – regional development.

Delegates will hear commodity forecasts, discuss industry trends, access information, make new contacts in their community and discover new approaches to traditional issues while gaining an understanding of global issues that affect the region.

Download the conference program at Regional Outlook Conferences. For inquiries, contact Lara Cole on 02 6272 2303/3051 or ABARES Conferences.

Cirque du Soleil jumps through biosecurity hoops

The excitement of the circus coming to town has certainly been keeping the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) Biosecurity staff in Brisbane busy over the past month.

Cirque du Soleil arrive in Australia this month and with them comes approximately 80 shipping containers arriving from the USA, Canada, Germany, France, UK and other locations.

Cirque du Soleil and Optim Cargo Services, the freight forwarding company managing their cargo, have worked cooperatively with DAFF Biosecurity to assess the risks and provide assurance of the preparation process undertaken before the equipment arrived in Australia.

Additional measures taken by DAFF Biosecurity include a site visit that was conducted at the venue prior to the cargo arriving. This ensured that security was adequate, there were suitable areas for storing and presenting cargo and was an opportunity to discuss contingency arrangements with the client. Find out more at Cirque du Soleil jumps through Biosecurity hoops.

DAFF’s post entry quarantine site revealed

The site for the Government’s new post entry quarantine (PEQ) facility has been announced by the Federal Member for McEwen, Rob Mitchell.

The new state-of-the-art facility for managing high risk plant and animal imports will find its home in Mickleham, Victoria.

The site was chosen after an extensive search during which more than 25 possible locations were considered. As announced in this year’s Budget, the Government has invested $379.9 million over seven years for the construction and operation of this facility which will consolidate existing animal and plant services to a single integrated site, located near Melbourne.

In the context of the challenging economic circumstances we face, this is a very significant announcement for the department. It reflects the government’s commitment to the task of managing Australia’s biosecurity system.