Biosecurity Matters, Edition 4, 2018

‘This would be a first for both our countries and will increase our ability to swiftly identify risk material and better target high risk items, individuals and entities to safeguard Australia from pest and diseases.’

The Trans-Tasman Cooperation on Biosecurity Risk Detection Technology will support ongoing collaboration between Australia and New Zealand in areas that provide promising opportunities to improve biosecurity.

This includes jointly trialling the new X-ray detection technologies, as well as potential detector dog initiatives, which will see them trained in different capabilities and deployed in new environments.

Roger Smith, head of Biosecurity New Zealand, said the commitment to cooperate reflected a shared understanding of the importance of building future biosecurity capabilities.

‘Detecting biosecurity risks at the border is becoming increasingly complex for both Australia and New Zealand, with more diverse risks, and volumes of passengers, mail and cargo also expected to rise significantly in coming years,’ Mr Smith said.

‘Working together to explore emerging technologies and innovative use of technologies will be mutually beneficial and help both our countries anticipate and meet future challenges.

‘This is a great initiative and the next step in an ongoing conversation.’

Find out more about Australian Government biosecurity priorities.

Plant Health Australia’s (PHA) Bee Pest Surveillance Coordinator, Dr Jenny Shanks, coordinates the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program on behalf of the department and other government and industry supporters. She said the trial highlights the variety of threats facing bees.

‘When it comes to bee pests we immediately think of the Varroa mite, but Asian hornets also feed on and kill bee colonies,’ Dr Shanks said.

‘This exotic pest is incredibly aggressive and invasive, it is spreading throughout Western Europe, and the UK, and could rapidly adapt to the Australian climate.’

Dr Marion Healy, First Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources’ Biosecurity Plant Division, said the Asian hornet trapping trial illustrates efforts to better target the nation’s most unwanted exotic plant pests and diseases.

‘There can be no higher priority than pests that threaten not only our honey bee and pollination dependent grains and horticulture industries, but our environment and future food security,’ Dr Healy said.

‘Keeping Australia free of exotic bee pests is a critical focus for our White Paper investment in strengthening surveillance.’

This project is supported by funding from the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper.

$7.6 million will fund an ongoing Environmental Biosecurity Protection Officer and staff, within the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. The officer will prepare plans and invest in projects to keep out environmental threats—such as the Asian black spined toad, which is similar to the cane toad but could potentially spread further throughout Australia.

The existing Indigenous Biosecurity Rangers program will receive a further $33.5 million over the next five years to employ 69 groups of Indigenous Rangers across some 10,000 km of northern Australian coastline. The amount includes training for an additional 13 Torres Strait Islander groups. These rangers are a frontline defence for our agricultural industry and environment by keeping out invading pests and diseases.

And should an exotic threat get in, we have also set aside $35 million in contingency funding, ready to go if we do face an incursion we need to stamp out.

This new funding comes on top of the $145.9 million of funding already allocated to biosecurity investment over five years in the recent budget.

This funding included $107.8 million for:

• enhanced assurance and verification activities to strengthen the enforcement of our strict standards
• monitoring overseas pests and diseases to reduce the risk of them getting to Australia
• more surveillance, monitoring and response around our ports
• keeping our vaccine bank ready for the risk of foot and mouth disease
• the Australian Animal Health Laboratory and its vital testing for exotic pests and diseases.

The department has also allocated $18.1 million for more boots on the ground at international ports over the next five years, with around 35 extra officers inspecting passengers’ baggage and performing other tasks.

An additional one-off amount of $20 million has also been allocated to support Tasmanian fruit growers impacted by the fruit fly outbreak.

These new and existing funding measures increase the government’s commitment to biosecurity to a total of $313 million over the next five years.

Find out more about the Australian Government’s biosecurity priorities.

Clean recyclables were then disposed of free-of-charge. Collectors accepted glass, aluminium and steel cans as well as hard plastic containers.

Dean Merrilees, Assistant Secretary of Compliance Controls, celebrated the program saying it was a great initiative that would ensure biosecurity risks associated with international ships continue to be managed while also improving recycling arrangements.

‘Rubbish brought to Australia on ships can carry a range of exotic pests and diseases that can impact our agricultural industries, environment, plant, animal and human health—so it’s important we continue to manage the risks,’ Mr Merrilees said.

‘During the pilot, recyclables that arrived on international ships were still required to undergo the usual biosecurity clearance, but they were be able to be disposed of and recycled in the same way as any domestic or municipal recyclables.

‘It is a fantastic initiative and we were proud to be part of it. It will allow ships’ waste to be managed more sustainably, while still protecting our biosecurity status.’

Currently, ships’ crews separate recyclable garbage on board, but they have limited opportunity to offload these materials at Australian ports for recycling.

At the moment, any garbage that is separated on board is combined when collected in Australian ports and it has to be incinerated, autoclaved (high temperature-pressure treatment) or deep-buried to meet Australia’s biosecurity requirements.

While these treatments address biosecurity risks, the opportunity for recycling is lost. It also creates a disincentive for ships to discharge garbage in Australian ports.

Lessons from the pilot program will help identify opportunities and obstacles for ships to recycle waste when they arrive in Australia.
Find out more about biosecurity for arriving vessels.

It then drilled down into the supporting communication mechanisms including the National Biosecurity Communication and Engagement Network (NBCEN) and the recently revised Biosecurity Incident Public Information Manual.

Hands-on activities prepared participants to deploy to another jurisdiction to help out with a response.

‘The lack of personnel available to help out in long-term biosecurity incidents continues to be an issue for most jurisdictions. People continue to be deployed interstate to help out with responses.

‘Citrus canker in the Northern Territory is a current example.

‘Many people have been or will be deployed to Darwin to work in the Incident Management Team for Citrus canker, as did many when White Spot Disease occurred in Queensland.’

Along with the Planning and Operation functions within an Incident Management Team, the Public Information function always needs more people to step up.

‘The nature of community engagement requires a lot of personnel with specialist skills. Hence the need for this workshop—to get more people trained up in the Public Information function.’

The Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp and the Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer, Dr Kim Ritman presented at the workshop. David Inall from Australian Dairy Farmers also presented a case study from his time in the United States, responding to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak. 

Queensland Public Information managers presented local case studies, including the successes and lessons learnt from recent responses to White Spot Disease, Banana Panama disease and Hendra Virus.

Participants put their new found knowledge and skills to the test during an exercise scenario that simulated an incursion of Lumpy Skin Disease alongside a detection of Giant African Snail. The exercise challenged their thinking around how to deliver a nationally consistent communication approach to several incidents running across a number of jurisdictions simultaneously. 

Ms Brown said that the workshop achieved its objectives and the feedback received was very positive. 

‘Hopefully during the next major incident our participants will be willing to put their hand up to help out the Public Information team.’
The workshop was a NBCEN initiative, funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources through its Stronger Biosecurity and Quarantine Initiative.

You can find out more about NBCEN on the Outbreak website.

There were 61 participants from 12 countries; Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Thailand and the USA.

Participants had positive feedback. They said the workshop was well organised and they were impressed that such a broad audience was involved. It was a great collaboration between government and industry.

The group showed overwhelming support to develop a single system to facilitate the global movement of clean seed. And they thought the International Plant Protection Convention was a logical forum for global adoption of the system.

The workshop took place right after the World Seed Congress, organised by the International Seed Federation (ISF). The department gave a presentation at this congress on an ‘Overview of Australia’s activities related to a systems approach for seed’.

The Quadrilateral Seed Health Working Group (QSHWG) also met prior to and following the workshop. QSHWG comprises representatives from the National Plant Protection Organisation of Australia (the department), New Zealand, the USA and Canada. QSHWG members agreed to undertake collaborative projects that could significantly contribute to establishing a global clean seed systems approach.

Leading up to the workshop the department organised a Global Integrated System of Seed Production Workshop in April with the Australian Seed Federation to discuss the current and potential systems of seed production, process and biosecurity risk management.

The department also presented Australia’s work on a systems approach for seed at the ISF Systems Approach Workshop in Rome in April this year.

Find out more about importing seeds for sowing to Australia.

Although the workshop series was targeted towards aquatic industries, biosecurity officers and anyone working in the aquatic space looking to upskill, the department also invited fisheries officers and those working in the aquatic space to come and learn about the main threats to Australia’s unique marine environment.

Conducting these workshops in remote and regional towns ensures our partners all across the north are prepared in the event of a marine pest incursion.

The department has also been working with Indigenous Ranger groups to facilitate new training opportunities to build on existing capability and expand the scope of the work undertaken by rangers across northern Australia.

Over 60 Indigenous Rangers have completed our Emergency Response Training, providing skills for Rangers to deal with biosecurity emergencies—ultimately helping to prevent the spread of pests, weeds and diseases. These skills in emergency management are also essential in other situations such as natural disaster management and large scale security threats.

This training aligns with our goals of capacity building in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and provides more practical employment opportunities for Rangers in remote areas.

Find out more about the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS).

Head of Biosecurity Operations at the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Nico Padovan, said the video and cargo pest guide uses a simple SEE. SECURE. REPORT. message to encourage stevedores and truckies to promptly report any biosecurity risk materials—such as bugs, snails, birds, bees, moths, soil and plant matter.

‘We are not asking people to be experts on exotic pests and diseases, but if you do happen to see something in or on a container it’s probably not meant to be there, especially if it’s alive,’ Mr Padovan said.

‘Prompt reporting allows us to put containment measures in place quickly to prevent these potentially devastating pests, diseases and weeds from escaping or being transported out to our rural areas.

‘Once a pest or disease makes it past the border it has the potential to harm our natural environment, food security, human health and economy.

‘Everyone who works around goods that have been imported from overseas has an important role in protecting Australia from the threat of pests and diseases. 

‘Many reports of suspected biosecurity concerns come from wharf workers, truck drivers, ship’s crew, stevedores and depot staff.

‘If you work at a seaport or you transport imported goods, remember to keep an eye out for anything that might be a biosecurity concern, and if you spot something, try to secure or isolate it.

‘This could be as easy as closing the doors on a shipping container—then letting the department know you’ve found something.’

Report your find to an onsite biosecurity officer, online at Report a biosecurity concern or call the SEE. SECURE. REPORT hotline on 1800 798 636.

‘In total, 844 individual plants, bulbs and seeds were found, as well as eight packets of undeclared flower seeds and two packets of undeclared rice. 

‘Bringing plant material into Australia provides a pathway for exotic pests to arrive in the country and it’s a serious offence.

‘It puts our $63 billion agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries and environment at risk.’

The man was convicted and fined at the Northern Territory Local Court.

In addition to the fine, a criminal conviction was recorded which he will need to declare when applying for visas or jobs.

‘All international travellers carrying foods, plant material or animal products in their luggage must declare them on their incoming passenger card.

‘This case shows that those who intentionally try to thwart our systems by not declaring biosecurity risk material will be appropriately dealt with.’

The department’s biosecurity officers work around-the-clock to enforce Australia’s strict biosecurity border controls and safeguard the nation from pests and diseases present in other countries.

Find out more about Australia’s biosecurity conditions and what can and can't be brought to Australia from overseas.

BMSB is native to a number of Asian countries, recently established in the United States, and is now spreading through Europe.

Deputy Secretary for Biosecurity, Lyn O’Connell, said we work closely with industry to put in place stronger biosecurity management for imported goods each year to manage the seasonal threat of BMSB.

‘During the BMSB season, importers of certain goods and vessels arriving from specific countries are required to comply with seasonal measures, including mandatory treatment and increased intervention before the goods arrive in Australia,’ Ms O’Connell said.

‘All of these goods must adhere to conditions outlined in Australia’s import conditions database, BICON.

‘Recently we hosted industry seminars in Sydney and Melbourne to discuss expanding BMSB measures.

‘To increase awareness of BMSB and assist industry in reporting detections of BMSB and other major exotic pests, we’ve recently produced a biosecurity awareness video and Cargo pests guide specifically for use by the stevedore and transport industries.

‘Industry has a vital role to play in keeping this devastating pest out of Australia—we all share the responsibility of protecting our shores from biosecurity threats.’

If established in our country, BMSB could have a huge impact on our $63 billion agricultural industries.

Both juveniles and adult bugs feed on, and severely damage, a wide range of fruit and vegetables crops—and they build up into plague proportions, entering homes, businesses, schools, factories and even vehicles when they seek shelter during winter.

Details of the final BMSB seasonal measures for 2018–19, including the applicable goods and specific treatment rates, are on our BMSB web page.