ABARES undertakes professionally-independent economic and science-based biosecurity research and analysis which underpins decision-making by governments, industry and other stakeholders, directed at maintaining and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of Australia’s biosecurity system.
In particular, ABARES assists governments and industry by identifying efficient management responses to emergency pest and disease incursions and by determining strategies aimed at deploying scarce resources optimally across all aspects of the biosecurity system: policy development, preparedness, monitoring, enforcement and incursion management.
Our multi-disciplinary team of scientists, economists and social scientists provides the department with evidence and risk-based approaches to resource allocation across the biosecurity continuum, using a range of modelling (economic, social, ecological, mathematical) and analytical (risk assessments, cost-benefit analysis, statistical) techniques. We also collaborate extensively with the external biosecurity research community.
Key projects
ABARES continues to provide research, analysis and high level policy advice on the risks and impacts of on-shore, off-shore and at-border biosecurity threats to Australia’s agricultural industries, environment and economy and approaches to manage these risks by:
- estimating economic impacts of biosecurity threats
- improving techniques for mapping and modelling pest and disease spread
- developing methods for designing more efficient surveillance systems
- developing processes to assist with the prioritisation of exotic invasive species
- providing advice on biosecurity policy and proposed reforms
- assessing tools and mechanisms to achieve effective community engagement in biosecurity.