Biosecurity Matters, Edition 3, 2019

‘Blatant breaches of our biosecurity laws are taken seriously and can attract significant penalties, including imprisonment.

‘This sentencing shows that the Australian Government is effective in undertaking investigations and working with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to gain convictions,’ said Ms O’Connell.

Illegal imports can introduce exotic diseases. These diseases would have a significant impact on our animal health and production, and we could lose access to overseas markets for our products.

Australia has measures in place to prevent an incursion but biosecurity is everyone’s business.

‘While most people do the right thing, those caught seeking to deliberately evade biosecurity controls will be punished.’ said Ms O’Connell.

Check what can and can't be brought into Australia. If unsure, just declare it.

Find out more about Australia’s biosecurity.

‘Biosecurity detector dogs have been helping protect Australia from pests and diseases since 1992, but they only currently screen for biosecurity risks in airline traveller and mail pathways,’ said Ms Mitchell.

‘The success of the BMSB detector dog research means we can deploy our existing detector dog capability to better protect Australia from a broader range of biosecurity threats.

‘As part of this project, we’ve trialled detector dog screening for incoming sea cargo in Brisbane, which is a first for biosecurity in Australia,’ Ms Mitchell said.

The next step in this research is to find chemical similarities between groups of risk material to make our detector dog training more effective.

‘The dogs naturally generalise across some scents.

‘We can train a dog to respond to the scent of an apple and, without ever being exposed to a banana, most dogs will then also respond to the scent of banana,’ said Ms Mitchell.

‘By specifically identifying the chemical compounds the dogs detect in risk material, we can train novice dogs faster and allow rapid response training for our existing fleet to meet seasonal or emerging risk materials or pests.’

Follow our Facebook page to stay up-to-date with our detector dog work.

Head of biosecurity Lyn O’Connell said the website is vital in providing biosecurity information to a wide range of stakeholders, including state and territory agencies, industry, environmental groups, research bodies and other government agencies.

‘You can be one of the first to explore beta.biosecurity.gov.au—your feedback will help us understand what does and doesn’t work across the site to build a better service,’ Ms O’Connell said.

‘You can discover information about how to reduce biosecurity risks and how to report a concern.

‘The website is being developed based on personas, ranging from a beekeeper to a boat owner, an international traveller to a primary producer, and an animal owner to someone wanting to manage a pest or weed.’

Visit beta.biosecurity.gov.au and provide feedback to help us improve the site.

Livestock producers rely on steady supplies of the same stockfeed, as sudden dietary changes can lead to production losses and animal deaths.

Others, such as millers, require a continuous supply of high protein grain to keep production running to prevent a loss of trade and market access.

Head of Plant Biosecurity Marion Healy said that while an importer may have a clear business need to source grain from overseas, the department’s overriding concern is ensuring that any imports don’t compromise Australia’s vital biosecurity status.

‘Before we allow the import, we must be confident that all plant and animal health biosecurity risks along the entire import pathway—from the farm to the processing facility in Australia—can be reduced to a very low level,’ Dr Healy said.

‘This appropriate level of protection (ALOP) ensures we’re protecting our industries, the environment and our way of life, while ensuring that trade can happen.

‘Each application must undergo thorough assessments and auditing to ensure that the importer has measures in place to manage the risks at every step of the import pathway.

‘We will visit the source country to verify the presence, or absence of pests of concern, pest control practices, and the systems in place for the production, harvesting, storing and transporting of grain destined for export.

‘We also audit the proposed facilities, systems and processes onshore in Australia to verify that the biosecurity risks associated with the imported grain can be managed.

‘We test the onshore part of the import pathway using domestic grain to verify it is working. 

‘If, after our assessments and auditing, we are not satisfied that the applicant’s management strategies can reduce the biosecurity risks to an acceptable level, we will not allow the grain to be imported to Australia.

‘Any permits we issue will include conditions that the importer must meet to ensure cleanliness and control any spillage and dust during transport, storage or processing.

‘They must also have contingency plans in place in case of unexpected events.

‘We require the exporting government to certify requirements have been met prior to export and we keep a close watch over the process once the grains have arrived in Australia.

‘If we have any concerns along the way, we may require the activity to be stopped or done differently. We can also suspend, vary or cancel the permit at any time,’ Dr Healy emphasised.

Learn more about Australia’s strict biosecurity requirements for imported grain.

You can also learn about our Appropriate Level of Protection.

Australia’s head of biosecurity, Lyn O’Connell, warned that the passenger had put Australia at risk, as meat products can carry a range of diseases including African swine fever (ASF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

‘There is no excuse if you bring these or other biosecurity risk items to Australia.

‘Either leave them at home or declare them at the border.

‘If FMD arrived in Australia, it would cost our economy billions and take a decade to eradicate. Fragments of FMD and ASF were recently detected in pork products intercepted at Australia’s airports and mail centres—the risk is very real.

‘The fresh fruit in their bag could have been harbouring diseases and pests like citrus canker or fruit fly which could devastate Australia’s horticulture industries.

‘If these diseases were to become established here Australians would start seeing less of the fruit they love on grocery shelves including oranges, apples and pears.’ Ms O’Connell said.

The goods were destroyed and the passenger was issued with an infringement notice.

‘Our dogs do a great job sniffing out potential risk items, but every passenger that travels to Australia has an obligation to follow the rules.

‘It saves you time and money while keeping our country free of deadly pests and diseases.

‘Before travelling, find out what you can and can’t bring into Australia. Remember, don’t be sorry, just declare it,’ Ms O’Connell said.

Find out more about travelling or sending goods to Australia.

NBRT members, working with representatives from our department, the ACT Government and industry, determined how to effectively and rapidly respond under each scenario.

Senior Biosecurity Communication Officer Georgie Harris participated in the Public Information function.

‘We conducted activities which would be normally undertaken in a Local Control Centre during an actual response,’ Georgie said.

‘The aim of the exercise was to improve the national ability to respond to these serious pests, with the added complexity of working within Commonwealth Territories and the utilisation of the Biosecurity Act 2015 for a post-border biosecurity response.’

Participants visited relevant sites within the ACT to gain an appreciation of the elements involved in the scenarios. This included the ACT Government emergency operation centres, the grounds surrounding Canberra International Airport and Canberra City Farm where they were provided with a demonstration of honey bee hive surveillance.

‘Benefits from the exercise include an improved response capability for NBRT members and a contribution towards an agreed policy for responding to biosecurity incidents in Commonwealth Territorial jurisdictions,’ Georgie said.

Find out more about the National Biosecurity Response Team.

A passenger arrived at Brisbane Airport with empty water bottles containing two banana corms that showed fungal growth with roots and soil attached.

‘The passenger did the right thing and declared the plants on their Incoming Passenger Card but they never should have brought them here in the first place.

‘The plants were sent to our pathology team who identified a Fusarium species, but they also identified the potential for it to have been the Panama disease pathogen,’ Ms O’Connell explained.

The Panama disease pathogen infects the roots of banana plants and then chokes the plant’s water supply, eventually killing it.

The fungus survives in the soil for decades and prevents the growth of new banana plants.

Panama disease Tropical Race 4 is the most damaging strain because it can attack nearly all known banana varieties.

There is no cure for Panama disease—preventing and controlling the movement of risk material is the only way to deal with the disease.

Understandably, the plants were promptly destroyed to ensure they did not pose an ongoing risk to the Australian banana industry.

‘If you are travelling to Australia, make sure you are aware of items that should not be brought with you,’ Ms O’Connell stressed.

Find out more about what you can and can’t bring to Australia.

Australia has a huge diversity of Lepidoptera but only a minor proportion of these are of economic importance.

Stacey Anderson, a Darwin entomologist with our Science and Surveillance Group, said distinguishing exotic pests from local pests and also from local, non-pest species is critical to early warning programs.

‘The majority of pest species of biosecurity concern to Australia are limited to a small number of families, so a means of recognising these families should help in prioritising specimens,’ Stacey said.

‘Family-level identification is problematic, as existing diagnostic keys to adults often rely on characters not visible without specialist dissection.

‘Many keys lack definitive images of the characters and this can leave users guessing about character states or needing to refer to other texts to clarify the status,’ she added.

To assist in the rapid identification of Lepidoptera established in Australia, the department has developed the Lepidopteran Families of Biosecurity Concern app using an interactive Lucid3 key for iPhone, Android and desktop devices.

‘The app has been developed to assist in identifying to family-level all Lepidoptera of biosecurity concern’, Stacey said.

‘It uses external morphological characters of adult specimens which can be observed under a stereomicroscope and do not require dissection or damage to the specimens.

‘The key provides high quality micrographs of all character states used to determine if a specimen is of biosecurity concern to Australia.’

‘The app is just another example of how we are using ground-breaking technology to assist in the surveillance of exotic biosecurity threats,’ Stacey concluded.

Lepidopteran Families of Biosecurity Concern is available at no cost via Google play/app store or lucidcentral.org

‘We also hosted our own strategic workshop in July aimed to support this work.

‘All biosecurity areas participated by analysing current investments in biosecurity emergency preparedness activities and identifying a shared vision of the future.’

At the workshop, representatives from across the department shared ideas for preparedness policy, training, exercising, planning, resourcing and evaluation.

They were also asked to reflect on recent responses and exercises, and on the learnings highlighted by these experiences.

Participants also shared their experience in preventative investments, the continued need for research and adopting innovations, industry and community engagement and improving reporting mechanisms to achieve desired response outcomes.

Other areas highlighted included opportunities around decision-making processes and increasing awareness and appreciation for preparedness activities to develop a broader departmental response capability and capacity.

‘These discussions will form part of a national direction and lead to a set of departmental biosecurity emergency preparedness priorities,’ Ms Keast said.

‘This will provide a roadmap for continued collaboration and participation in the department’s preparedness activities and at a national level.’

Find out more about National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness.

Head of the MAT taskforce, Matt Ryan, said assembling a team and investing in this initiative is the start of long-term changes to the way we regulate Australia's agricultural exports.

‘Despite significant drought, the value of farm production remains high,’ Mr Ryan said.

‘The government’s investment in agricultural trade will give greater confidence to our primary producing sectors.
‘Our trading partners also take their biosecurity as seriously as we do.

‘A modern system will provide assurance to importing markets and protect Australia’s valuable reputation as a clean and green supplier of agricultural traded goods,’ he said.

International trade is increasing: ships, planes and people are moving in increasing volumes across international and state borders.

This means there is more pressure than ever on our biosecurity surveillance and response systems.

Regulating agricultural trade, is one of the key reasons why we invest in biosecurity—to support Australia’s agricultural producers to increase productivity and access markets.

Find out more about the initiative.

‘This has seen additional northern Australia ranger groups provide contracted biosecurity services and dramatic improvements in equipment and training provided to ranger groups to enhance their capability to contribute to biosecurity operations.

‘Increasing the public’s awareness of biosecurity has also been a high priority.

‘We have been extremely fortunate to secure the services of high profile individuals such as Costa the Garden Gnome, Dirtgirl and others in developing communication products to raise awareness about practical measures for industry and the community to assist the biosecurity effort. 

‘The department is dedicated to enhancing our data collection systems and has used the available White Paper funding to improve capability.

‘A notable achievement in this regard is the award-winning Ranger App which enables real-time data reporting by Indigenous Rangers.

‘Similarly, the Torres Strait Information System supports improved risk-based biosecurity regulation in Torres Strait.

‘The Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper has been a big program of work for a diverse range of contributors from the Australian Government and state and territory agencies, industry participants, non-government sector organisations and community representatives.

‘I’d like to acknowledge the immense effort our staff have undertaken to help deliver these initiatives in collaboration with each other, and key external stakeholders,’ Ms Canning said.

‘These results attest to the passion and hard work of all involved and we will continue to see the benefits of these programs for years to come.

‘Having said that, this is not the end of the story—far from it.

‘We have ongoing funding allowing the department to further develop our outstanding Indigenous Ranger program and many of the projects funded under the White Papers have been designed to take on a life of their own, essentially continuing the vital biosecurity work we undertake across the north,’ Ms Canning concluded.

The Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness and Developing Northern Australia white papers were the government’s plan for stronger farmers, a stronger economy and a safe and secure Australia.

The undeclared food items were destroyed and the passenger was issued an infringement notice.

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers made the initial detection and referred the passenger to biosecurity officers.

We work closely with the ABF to enforce biosecurity measures at Australia’s international airports.

‘If you are travelling to Australia, make sure you’re aware of items that should not be brought with you—passengers who deliberately break our biosecurity rules should also be on notice that they could have their visas cancelled under changes to Australia’s immigration law,’ Ms O’Connell stressed.

Find out more about what you can and can’t bring to Australia.