12 May 2009
DAFF09/242B

Australia has committed $156.0 million in the 2009-10 Budget for biosecurity measures at our airports, sea ports and mail centres to help protect against exotic pests and diseases.

This includes $92.2 million through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and $63.8 million through the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the funding would maintain biosecurity, while the Government continues to implement major reforms.

“Australia is fortunate to be free of many of the world’s worst pests and diseases – and we want to keep it that way,” Mr Burke said.

“A rigorous biosecurity system is essential to protect our agricultural industries, the environment, the community and lucrative export markets.

“So many jobs in rural and regional Australia depend on the integrity of our biosecurity system which is why we need to be making constant improvements.

“This funding will help to support trade markets in agricultural produce, seafood and timber products, worth more than $30 billion each year, by maintaining our biosecurity.

“It is a down payment on future reforms of our biosecurity system.”

In December last year, the Government released the independent Beale Report, which proposed the biggest reforms to our biosecurity system in more than a century.

The process of responding to those recommendations continues, including developing new legislation to replace the century-old Quarantine Act 1908.

The reforms fall into three key areas:

• Better partnerships with the states and territories and industry;
  
• Improved management of national biosecurity, including a new biosecurity standards commission and a new statutory authority for day-to-day management; and
  
• Better targeting resources to focus on known biosecurity risks.

In the coming months, interim arrangements will be put in place ahead of the full roll-out of reforms, including:

• An interim Inspector General of Biosecurity will be appointed;
  
• An interim Biosecurity Advisory Council will be appointed; and
  
• Transitional systems will be established within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.