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BioSIRT
What is BioSIRT?
BioSIRT is a Biosecurity Surveillance, Incident, Response and Tracing software application. It has been developed for use across Australia to enable better management of information and resources used to manage animal or plant diseases or pests and emergency responses to incursions. The software is a web-based application that incorporates both spatial and textual data.
Where did BioSIRT come from?
BioSIRT was developed to meet a need for a more effective and nationally coordinated approach in both the response to emergency incidents and in routine biosecurity activities. With the agreement of the Primary Industries Ministerial Council, the Commonwealth, state and territory governments have collaborated to develop the BioSIRT application.
The National BioSIRT Program seeks to eliminate information barriers and provide national consistency of information to enhance emergency response and routine surveillance and control of pests and diseases that threaten agriculture, the environment and social amenity.
Failure to prevent or control these incidents could result in the loss of export revenue worth billions of dollars, increase production costs, and other impacts.
Who will use BioSIRT?
BioSIRT is being used by Commonwealth, state and territory agencies that are responsible for agriculture and primary industries. State and territory agencies are responsible for monitoring and control of pests and diseases which may threaten the environment and agricultural production, and work with the Commonwealth to ensure coordinated national responses to emergency incidents.
What can BioSIRT do?
BioSIRT enables information relating to routine activities or emergency response—such as the location of animal and plant diseases—to be recorded and reported. This facilitates more coordinated responses and national consistency in managing emergency incidents.
Outcomes and Benefits
The BioSIRT program will achieve the following outcomes:
- Reduce the time to act or decide on action to be taken during an emergency response thus reducing the impact of the incursion.
- Support industry sustainability and market access by increasing capacity to report pest and disease status.
- Reduce duplication across animal and plant emergency response and routine biosecurity activities resulting in operational efficiency and savings.
When will BioSIRT be fully used?
The first version of the BioSIRT application was released in August 2008 for trial by jurisdictions in routine surveillance activities. All jurisdictions except the ACT and Victoria were emergency ready by September 2009.
Version 2.0 of the BioSIRT application was deployed in November 2009 and the application continues to be developed by the National BioSIRT Program.
Current activities include a national rollout of a template for routine surveillance for fruit flies, the development of an interface between BioSIRT and personal digital assistants, and cooperation with Australian Biosecurity Intelligence Network to develop an integrated BioSIRT portal.
The BioSIRT program is fully supported and funded by all states and territories and the Commonwealth.
Where can I get more information?
Further information on BioSIRT can be found in the Induction Booklet or contact the BioSIRT National Program Manager by email or phone 02 6272 5350.
The BioSIRT Blog
The BioSIRT Blog is a monthly newsletter that provides an update of important news, projects and activities of the National BioSIRT Program.
Join the BioSIRT subscription list to stay informed by email about when the latest BLog has been updated on our website. The latest BLog and other recent editions are available below.
2011 Editions
2010 Editions
2009 Editions
10 Aug 2011