Import risk analysis for bananas from the Philippines - Status Report

14 August 2008

Biosecurity Australia Advice 2008/26

Import Risk Analysis for Bananas from the Philippines - Status Report

This Biosecurity Australia Advice (BAA) informs stakeholders that the Draft Final Import Risk Analysis Report for the Importation of Cavendish Bananas from the Philippines has been formally referred to the independent Eminent Scientists Group for review.

Biosecurity Australia, with the assistance of an external Import Risk Analysis (IRA) team, has completed its consideration of all stakeholder comments submitted in response to the Revised Draft Import Risk Analysis Report for the Importation of Cavendish Bananas from the Philippines.  This revised draft report was issued in March 2007 (Biosecurity Australia Policy Memorandum (BAPM) 2007/06) with the comment period closing on 29 June 2007. Biosecurity Australia received 21 submissions from stakeholders. All submissions have been placed on the Biosecurity Australia website.

As advised in BAPM 2007/20 concerning the transitional arrangements for implementing the regulated IRA process, the IRA for the importation of Cavendish bananas from the Philippines is to be completed under the pre-regulated process.  A draft final IRA report has now been referred to the independent Eminent Scientists Group (ESG) for review.  The role of the ESG is to ensure that Biosecurity Australia has taken stakeholder comments properly into account in finalising the risk analysis and policy recommendations.  The ESG has up to 60 days to undertake its review.

Biosecurity Australia will take the recommendations of the ESG into account in producing a Final IRA Report, which will be open to formal appeal.

Following any appeal process (and implementation of appeal outcomes, if required) a final report and recommendations will be provided to the Director of Animal and Plant Quarantine, who will then make a quarantine policy determination.

Please pass this notice to other interested parties.  If those parties wish to be included in future communications on this matter they should advise the contact officer listed below.  Alternatively, if you wish to be removed from the distribution list, please advise the contact officer.

Information on all IRAs and policy reviews being conducted by Biosecurity Australia is available on the Biosecurity Australia website. Biosecurity Australia welcomes any comments on matters relevant to the issues raised in this BAA.

Dr Colin J Grant
Chief Executive

Contact details

General Manager
Plant Biosecurity
Biosecurity Australia
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Telephone: +61 2 6272 5094
Facsimile: +61 2 6272 3307
Email: Plant Biosecurity