Brisbane Environmental Biosecurity Roundtable 2 report 2018

The Biosecurity Roundtable Program consists of seven biosecurity roundtables in each state and territory (NSW and ACT are combined), two environmental biosecurity roundtables and a National Biosecurity Forum at the end of the year.

These events are an opportunity for biosecurity stakeholders to talk about biosecurity issues directly with Australian and state/territory government representatives, a wide range of industry members and producers together with environmental and community groups.

Item 1 | Welcome – Josephine Laduzko, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Josephine Laduzko, Assistant Secretary, Biosecurity Policy and Response Branch, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources opened the roundtable, outlining the day’s focus on participation and opportunities to meet colleagues across industry, community and government.

Item 2 | Department of Agriculture and Water Resources update – Josephine Laduzko, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Ms Laduzko delivered the update from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, highlighting the strength and value of Australia’s biosecurity system while acknowledging its vulnerabilities and the increasingly complex environment it operates in. As outlined in the Priorities for Australia’s Biosecurity system review report (2017), she emphasised that Australia cannot continue to do tomorrow what is being done today. As trade and international arrivals increase, biosecurity threats are also increasing through accidental inclusion or deliberate attempts to bypass biosecurity screening. While most biosecurity threats are picked up, 18 active responses were conducted in 2018.

As part of the ongoing response $313 million funding is now in place for projects, such as the finalisation of the emergency response deeds for aquatic animals and exotic production weeds and to complete the development of a National Priority List of exotic Environmental Pests and Diseases.

Ms Laduzko advised the department recently announced the inaugural appointment of Ian Thompson as Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer. The role comes with administered funding of $825,000 and Mr Thompson will be working on how to best leverage this funding to enhance our ability and capacity to handle environmental biosecurity responses. This will involve strengthening engagement with community and environmental groups and working closely with the Department of the Environment and Energy.

Ms Laduzko also provided an update on other activities being undertaken by the department, including:

• the current responses under the National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement (NEBRA), including three NEBRA-like responses that pre-date the agreement
• the development of the National priority list for environmental pests and diseases, with next steps being the public consultation phase to begin in early 2019
• the second phase of the $1.1 billion National Landcare Program
• work, in conjunction with the Department of Health, to manage risks to human biosecurity, such as exotic vectors, ill travellers and ship sanitation.

Item 3 | Department of the Environment and Energy update – Milena Rafic, Department of the Environment and Energy

Milena Rafic, Assistant Director, Environmental Biosecurity, Department of the Environment and Energy outlined her department’s contribution to national biosecurity policy through its involvement in committees such as the National Biosecurity Committee a; and its participation in national planning and reviews.

The Department of the Environment and Energy is involved in environmental biosecurity throughout the entire spectrum. Ms Rafic cited as an example its work on the live import list for animals. Once an animal is listed anyone can import them, subject to any conditions. Work is underway on developing detailed guidance on hybrid animal imports. Hybrid animals cannot be permitted into Australia unless listed on the live import list. Ms Rafic highlighted that more hybrid pets are being bred overseas as interest increases due to the internet. Of particular interest to Australians are wolf dogs and new cat/wild cat hybrids. Any update to the policy will include a public consultation period and a communication plan and stakeholder register are being developed.  Any specific questions are to be emailed to hybrid.policy@environment.gov.au.

Ms Rafic also raised the role of the Department of the Environment and Energy under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, including the administration of threat abatement plans (TAPs) for key threatening processes listed under the Act. Recently approved or updated TAPs includes impacts of marine debris on vertebrate wildlife, infection of amphibians with Chytrid fungus and feral pigs. The updated Phytophthora TAP is close to finalisation.

Item 4 | ‘What’s New’ session

A number of speakers presented short updates on the work of their organisations.

Inspector-General of Biosecurity - Helen Scott-Orr

Dr Scott-Orr provided an update on her current Environmental Biosecurity review. A discussion paper is available on her website and the final date for submissions had been extended to Monday 15 October 2018. Dr Scott-Orr looked forward to everybody’s constructive input.

South Coast NRM - Justin Bellanger

Mr Bellanger provided a summary of a suite of integrated tools and processes that have been developed to manage Phytophthora dieback in Western Australia, including new approaches to multi-criteria analysis; risk analysis methods; investment return risk modelling; hazard dispersal modelling and a risk reduction planning framework.

South Coast NRM has used these solutions, in collaboration with key stakeholders, to create the State Phytophthora Dieback Management and Investment Framework. For the first time in Western Australia, the Framework provides a prioritised list of areas for protection based on sound science and the capacity of the community and stakeholders to implement management activities.

Healthy Land and Water - Dennis Gannaway

Ms Watters discussed how myrtle rust is one of Australia’s most pressing environmental biosecurity issues. Myrtle rust was detected in 2010 on the Central Coast of New South Wales, it has now been detected in Tasmania through to the tip of Cape York Peninsula and west to the Tiwi Islands and Darwin. The Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre and the National Environmental Science Program are undertaking a review of its environmental impacts to produce a draft National Action Plan for Myrtle Rust.

Friends of the Earth - Louise Sales

Ms Sales discussed the potential biosecurity risks posed by gene editing and gene drives. Ms Sales raised her concerns with the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator’s and Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s approaches to these techniques. Ms Sales also raised concerns in relation to the use of CRISPR gene drives to spread certain genes through a population as a means of eradicating invasive species.

Landcare Australia - Rohan Antao

Mr Antao presented on ‘Landcarer’, a social network being developed by Landcare Australia to allow stakeholders to connect, communicate, collaborate and promote themselves and their activities. Users can engage with the platform through different tools, including project management, group management, eLearning, stories, events, polls, and discussion forums. In 2019 a biosecurity identification and alert system will be released, allowing users to identify biosecurity risks and notify authorities. For more information on Landcarer please visit www.landcarer.com.au or email: innovation@landcareaustralia.com.au.

Research on behavioural ecology of fruit fly parasitoids and implication for fruit fly pest control - Ayad Masry

Mr Masry spoke on the use of natural enemies (parasitoids) is an important non-pesticide control option for fruit flies, specifically using the small wasp Diachasmimorpha kraussii to attack Queensland fruit fly. Mr Masry’s work focused on improving the cultivation and use of parasitoids to assist in fruit fly pest management by investigating the role of memory and learning in search behaviour. Mr Masry has found that the Diachasmimorpha kraussii is in decline due to the introduction of the exotic parasitoid Fopius arisanus who competes with our native parasitoid.

Wildlife Health Victoria - Pam Whiteley

Dr Whiteley spoke about the relevance of wildlife health to biosecurity and biodiversity and highlighted the benefits of Australian and state/territory environment agencies working together with organisations such as Wildlife Health Australia and universities.

Dr Whiteley discussed the common population viability drivers for ecosystems and biodiversity, which include:

• wildlife animal host (genetic diversity, fitness & mortality)
• ecosystem health (invasive species, extreme weather events, habitat degradation)
• disease (infectious and non infectious agents, multifactorial).

Dr Whitely emphasised the need for long-term adaptive management programs with monitoring and designs that include all key factors for an ecosystem.

Wildlife Health Australia - Rupert Woods

Mr Woods gave a quick update on two items:

• Wildlife Health Australia, together with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources have developed guidelines for Emergency Wildlife Disease responses. The guidelines were developed with the AUSVETPLAN framework and aim to deliver consistent, reproducible, structured and systematic responses.
• Wildlife Health Australia has developed national guidelines for wildlife biosecurity to provide the information needed to ensure biosecurity risks of wildlife engagement are appropriately assessed and managed. The guidelines acknowledge the wide range of circumstances under which people work and interact with wildlife in Australia and can be tailored by wildlife workers to suit their individual circumstances.

ABARES - Katherina Ng

Dr Ng explained the role of ABARES' Invasive Species and Social Sciences section who provide research and analysis support to policy areas of the Department and Agriculture and Water Resources and other government agencies, sectoral committees, industry bodies, and other stakeholders. She highlighted some of the team's recent work:

• a general surveillance project, which will use systems thinking to deliver a holistic framework of the factors that contribute to or inhibit the success of general surveillance programs.
• marine pest social network analysis research, which explored formal and informal stakeholder networks around marine pests.
• the recently completed National Weed Data Collection Survey, targeting Australian and state/territory governments and natural resource management organisations, will provide an understanding of priority and emerging weed issues, as well as weed data collection and sharing activities.
• the Pest and Weed Survey will be rerun in May 2019 to determine changes in pest issues and management activities, at the agricultural property level, over the past three years.

Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc. - Bob Makinson

Dr Makinson discussed the continuing concern for environmental biosecurity from Myrtle rust, identifying the McPherson and Main Ranges in New South Wates and south east Queensland as the site of what may be the first myrtle rust extinction. The Plant Biosecurity Science Foundation has recently drafted an action plan and reviewed the impact of myrtle rust in the Australian environment. Dr Makinson identified a number of next steps that needed to be undertaken including further research and prioritisation in biosecurity risk analysis.

The department can now provide some new information on some of the issues raised as part of this session. The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator’s technical review of the Gene Technology Regulations 2001 aims to provide clarity about whether organisms developed using a range of new technologies are subject to regulation as ‘genetically modified organisms’ and ensure that new technologies are regulated in a manner commensurate with the risks they pose. Further information about the Review is available on the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator website. Finally, the Norfolk Island strain of Myrtle rust was confirmed by the University of Tasmania to be the same stain as that on mainland Australia and New Zealand.

Item 6 | Biosecurity and Surveillance in the Northern Peninsula and Torres Strait – Craig Marston, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Craig Marston, Project Officer, Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, introduced the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS). NAQS was established in 1989 to provide an early warning system for exotic pest, weed and disease across northern Australia and to help address unique biosecurity risks facing the region.

Mr Marston provided examples of biosecurity risks posed by Australia’s close proximity to its northern neighbours, including:

• foreign fishing vessels,
• wild animal movement
• insect incursions from wind or storms
• the free movement of people for traditional purposes under the Torres Strait Treaty.

Mr Marston explained that NAQS is managed by 177 staff, including specialist scientific staff, community liaison officers and indigenous rangers based in Broome, Darwin, Nhulunbuy (Gove), Weipa, Bamaga, Cairns and throughout Torres Strait. These staff conduct a range of activities, such as:

• domestic plant health surveillance (trapping, sampling and identification)
• domestic animal health monitoring/surveys (native and feral animal sampling, domestic animal health checks)
• offshore surveillance and training.

Item 7 | Introduction to the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer – Ian Thompson, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Ian Thompson, Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, introduced his role and provided a brief explanation of the recommendation in the Priorities for Australia’s Biosecurity system review report (2017), which led to the position being created.

Mr Thompson noted his past experience most recently as head of the Sustainable Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Division in the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources but also in water, Landcare and weed and pest management. Mr Thompson noted that he looked forward to working with all attendees to ensure these roundtables continue to assist us in understanding, planning for and resolving environmental biosecurity problems.

Mr Thompson highlighted the benefits of our national biosecurity system in protecting Australia’s environment and biodiversity from invasive species and diseases. Invasives were identified in the 2016/17 State of the Environment Report as being the most significant threat to Australia’s nationally listed threatened species.

Mr Thompson outlined his key initial priorities as the inaugural Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer are to:

• build and improve relationships with the environmental sector
• finalise the national priority list of exotic environmental pests and diseases
• be a national point of notification for environmental pest and disease detections and responses under the NEBRA
• develop a formal arrangement with the Department of the Environment and Energy
• design and deliver expenditure of the annual $825,000 project fund, and
• work together with the Department of the Environment and Energy and embed environmental biosecurity issues into a wide range of strategies, frameworks and policies at all levels of government, to better manage the risks to threatened species and the environment.

Item 8 | Introduction to the Threatened Species Commissioner – Sally Box, Department of the Environment and Energy

Sally Box, Threatened Species Commissioner, Department of the Environment and Energy began by raising the importance of environmental biosecurity in protecting Australia’s biodiversity, citing invasives as a key pressure on threated species.

Dr Box recognised the appointment of the new Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer and outlined how the role would complement hers going forward. She identified three key areas she and the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer could work closely together:

• Prioritisation – developing a better understanding of environmental biosecurity risks to assist in prioritising and responding rapidly and effectively to emerging threats. 
• Partnerships – building relationships with the environment and conservation sector to ensure environmental biosecurity is embedded into wide range of strategies, frameworks, policies at all levels of government, considerations and approaches.
• Communication and outreach – shared communication and outreach activities to reach a broader audience through the Commissioner’s social media channels.

Item 9 | Indigenous Engagement Model – Payi Linda Ford and Chloe Ford, Charles Darwin University

Payi Linda Ford, Principal Research Fellow, Charles Darwin University spoke of her role in leading a joint international research project to produce a best practice model to engage Indigenous communities in biosecurity practices.

Dr Ford’s indigenous engagement model merges traditional Indigenous and western knowledge into a framework to protect the country and to manage biosecurity threat while encouraging ongoing collaboration and communication between key interest groups. The model was tested on biosecurity through a number of workshops and presentations in local communities, which were well received. The model has been adopted by various organisations and community groups.

The next steps will be to promote the model to other indigenous groups in the Asia-Pacific region, build industry partners to develop a strong network for peer based learning and support and identify champions within the community to employ and take up the engagement process.

Item 11 | Environmental biosecurity in Queensland – Malcolm Letts, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Kristy Gooding, Local Government Association of Queensland

Malcolm Letts, Chief Biosecurity Officer, Biosecurity Queensland, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, gave a snapshot of the drivers of biosecurity risk in Queensland and discussed some of the challenges to managing these risks.

Mr Letts explained that the Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld) is an effect framework for the management of environmental biosecurity in Queensland. The Act places a greater emphasis on shared responsibility and imposes a ‘general biosecurity obligation’ on persons to prevent or minimise the adverse effects caused by pests and diseases.

Mr Letts highlighted that the 2015 Queensland Biosecurity Capability Review has resulted in two projects of note:

• The Marine Pest Preparedness project, which has engaged with port authorities as an initial step to establishing a marine pest surveillance and monitoring program.
• The Better Partnerships project, which is developing effective regional partnership frameworks to serve as a model for local governments and the community.

Mr Letts provided a short update on the three nationally cost-shared environmental biosecurity responses in Queensland, the Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication program, Electric ants and tropical weeds (including Miconia species, Mikania vine and Limnocharis).  He noted that Biosecurity Queensland is also working on a number of tools and cost-effective strategies for managing pests such as biological control programs for plants and animals with a focus on activities that have environmental biosecurity outcomes.

Mr Letts also presented on behalf of Rob Hughes, Executive Director, Conservation and Biodiversity Strategy, Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Mr Letts spoke of priority issues for that department, including Myrtle rust, Chytrid fungus disease and Phytophthora dieback. The Queensland Department of Environment and Science works with Biosecurity Queensland on a number of projects, for the Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger program. The program has done important work to

• protect marine turtles by reducing predation by feral pigs since 2008
• established partnerships with local pastoralists to develop a long term feral pig management program and train landowners in effective pest management.

Kristy Gooding, Lead Natural Assets and NRM, Local Government Association of Queensland, explained the role of local governments in Queensland under the Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), noting that in 2016/2017 local governments in Queensland spent $45 million controlling invasive plants and animals, delivering over $418 million in economic benefits to the Queensland economy.

Ms Gooding highlighted some of the environmental biosecurity projects that local councils in Queensland were undertaking, including:

• Gympie Regional Council’s Mary River Turtle Project
• Moreton Bay Regional Council’s Wild Dog Management Project
• Cassowary Coast Regional Council’s Koster’s curse Project.

Item 12 | National Invasive Ant Biosecurity Plan – Sarah Hilton, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and Veronica Blazely, Department of the Environment and Energy

Sarah Hilton, Director, Plant Health Policy, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources introduced the need for the National Invasive Ant Biosecurity Plan, noting that invasive ants are a threat to native species, habitat, agriculture, forestry and the environment. Yellow crazy ants on Christmas Island and Red imported fire ants are listed as key threatening processes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Nationally, there are six eradication programs underway. The Plan provides a nationally agreed approach to enhance Australia’s capacity to manage the ongoing threat of invasive ants establishing in Australia and the impacts caused by those species already established.

Veronica Blazely, Director, Environmental Biosecurity, Department of the Environment and Energy provided details about the key overarching action areas in the plan:

• prevention
• detection
• response
• containment
• asset-based protection/ongoing management
• cross cutting issues.

Ms Blazely explained that an implementation summary will guide action areas and require lead organisations to self-identify their investment. Implementation will be overseen by the Environment and Invasives Committee. The plan and summary were available for public consultation until 30 November 2018. The plan and the summary will now be finalised by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee and Environment and Invasives Committee before being considered by the National Biosecurity Committee.

Item 13 | Panel session – Roles and responsibilities, now and emerging

Ms Laduzko facilitated a question and answer session with a panel comprised of:

• Sally Box, Threatened Species Commissioner, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy
• Ian Thompson, Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
• Payi Linda Ford, Principal Research Fellow, Charles Darwin University
• Malcolm Letts, Chief Biosecurity Officer, Biosecurity Queensland, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The first question was for Dr Box regarding the Threatened Species Prospectus, whether she thought it was a success and what will be the next steps. Dr Box stated that the prospectus, launched in 2017, sought to connect investors who didn’t know where to start with opportunities to invest in projects to save threatened species. Dr Box spoke of a recent Australian National Audit Office review which found the prospectus to be an innovative tool fit for its intended purpose. Dr Box spoke of some lessons learned with the project and her desire that it become more of a ‘living’ document with the ability to make tailored matches between projects and investors. Mr Letts raised that it was similar to the current approach in the research and development space where alternative funding models were being pursued such as the increasing support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

A question from the floor asked how stakeholders could better use existing systems, for example, are the Departments of Agriculture and Water Resources and the Environment and Energy on the board for the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions. Ms Laduzko stated there were governance reasons why the Australian Government was not represented on the board however, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. We are closely engaged with the Centre’s work and provide funding. Mr Thompson went further and stated he was keen to get further involved in the interesting work of the Centre.

Dr Ford was asked a question about to build a pipeline to encourage more indigenous staff into biosecurity, especially capturing the youth. She said this was a good and challenging question. She highlighted the cadetship program operated by CSIRO, which was receiving good indigenous engagement rates but pointed out there needed to be more resources. Dr Ford noted the national curriculum had many programs for children to learn science and the National Indigenous Research and Knowledge Network engages university students but there needs to be more indigenous academics in place to mentor and coach students. Dr Ford state she has 15 indigenous students working on her projects through the Discovery Indigenous Program funded by the Australian Research Council and drive by the Queensland University of Technology. There is capacity for this program to be used for biosecurity purposes. Mr Letts stated that it was important to have a diverse range of pathways to employment, particularly for young people on country. Mr Thompson said there was the capacity to tap into the Indigenous Science Week networks to build connections and provide clear opportunities for indigenous children to get into university and jobs. Ms Laduzko pointed out how important this type of engagement was to ensure we have suitable experts available in the future.  

A question was asked of Mr Letts as to what difference the new biosecurity legislation has made. Mr Letts referred to two successful prosecutions of persons breaching the Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), including a reference in a judgement to the ‘general biosecurity obligation’. An example of this obligation is the ‘tick line’ where it was now the responsibility of industry to check when cattle crossed the line rather than government. The perception of industry has been that government stepped back and there has been an increase in ticks, however there is no evidence to prove this. Mr Letts said it was an example of how communication with the public was important. Mr Letts signalled there would be a review of the Act in the next six months, including the general biosecurity obligations, and there was still a long way to go in realising the best outcomes under the Act.

Finally, the panel were asked to provide example of unusual collaborations they had undertaken. Dr Box discussed how her predecessor had become involved in the ‘bilby blitz, an event where bilbies are trapped at the same time around Australia for a formal head count. What started as a brainstorm idea at a festival has now been taken up around the country. Dr Box described how it was a mix of the old and new as indigenous rangers used traditional techniques to trap the bilbies but used the latest technology to record the outcomes and gain a better understanding of the spread of bilbies. Mr Thompson discussed his work with recreational fishers on fish stock data. Recreational fishers saw their catch as small compared to that of commercial fishers mean it had less impact on stock. However, Mr Thompson oversaw the collection, analysis and public of catch data from recreational fishers to show the true scale of their catch and to encourage greater policy buy in. Dr Ford discussed her work on plant biosecurity as a move beyond her discipline. At her first meeting with key scientists she was worried but while it was a steep learning curve she has enjoyed it and was surprised to win a biosecurity award in recognition of her work. Mr Letts discussed his work on the baiting of Red imported fire ants. The current baits are not waterproof, researchers are working on creating alternatives to pesticides using RNA. Mr Letts said this work looked like a promising alternative.

Ms Laduzko closed the roundtable, thanking the attendees for their times, engagement and ideas on behalf of the Australian Government Department the Environment and Energy and the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

Invitations were sent out to 281 organisations, groups or individuals (excluding state and Australian government staff), with 71 participants (in bold) taking part in the roundtable, representing a wide range of organisations including:

• ABARES
• ACT Government
• ACT NRM Council
• Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management
• AgKonect Pty Ltd
• Agribusiness Yarra Valley
• Agriculture Victoria
• Amateur Fishing Association of NT
• Anindilyakwa Ranger Group via Anindilakwa Land Council
• Aquaculture Council of Western Australia
• Arnhem Land Progress Association
• Atlas of Living Australia
• Australasian Bat Society Inc
• Australasian Wildlife Management Society
• Australian Agricultural and Environmental Solutions
• Australian Association of Bush Regenerators
• Australian Conservation Foundation
• Australian Environment Foundation
• Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association
• Australian Farm Institute
• Australian Indigenous Agribusiness Company
• Australian Koi Association
• Australian Local Government Association
• Australian Marine Conservation Society
• Australian Native Plants Society
• Australian Network for Plant Conservation
• Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA)
• Australian Pig Doggers and Hunters Association
• Australian Plants Society
• Australian Plants Society Tasmania
• Australian Pork
• Australian Seed Bank Partnership
• Australian Veterinary Association - NSW
• Australian Wildlife Conservancy
• Banksia Environmental Foundation
• BHP
• Biosecurity Queensland
• Biosecurity South Australia
• Biosecurity Tasmania
• Birdlife Australia
• BirdLife Tasmania
• Birds SA
• BMT Global
• BQMAC/ NRM Collectives
• Bunurong Land Council
• Burnett Mary Regional Group
• Bush Heritage Australia
• Cape York NRM
• Carnarvon Rangelands Biosecurity Association Inc
• Cattle Council of Australia
• Central Land Council
• Central Tablelands Local Land Services
• Central West Environment Council
• Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research
• Centre for Biosecurity Excellence
• Centre for Invasive Species Solutions
• Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS) - James Cook University
• Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions
• Charles Darwin University
• Chevron Australia
• Condamine Alliance Group
• Conservation Council ACT
• Conservation Council of SA
• Conservation Council of WA
• Conservation Farmers Inc
• Conservation Volunteers Australia
• Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
• Council of Australasian Weed Societies (CAWS)
• Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens (CHABG)
• Council of Mayors South-East Queensland
• CPSM Murdoch University
• Cradle Coast NRM
• Croplife Australia
• CSIRO 
• CSIRO Australian National Herbarium
• DEDJTR Victoria
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
• Department of Agriculture and Food WA
• Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
• Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Victoria
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources
• Department of Environment and Science
• Department of Environment and Water SA
• Department of Health
• Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia
• Department of Primary Industry and Resources
• Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
• Department of the Environment and Energy
• Desert Channels Queensland
• Dieback Working Group
• East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority
• Ecological Society of Australia Ltd
• Ecosure
• Environment Centre NT
• Environment Victoria
• Environmental Consultants Association (WA)
• Environmental Defenders Office Head Office
• Environmental Defenders Office NSW
• Environmental Defenders Office NT
• Environmental Defenders Office QLD
• Environmental Defenders Office SA
• Environmental Defenders Office TAS
• Environmental Defenders Office WA
• Environmental Justice Australia
• Far East Victoria Landcare
• Farmers for Climate Change
• Fitzroy Basin Association
• Forest Industries Federation (WA)
• Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species
• Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife
• Friends of the Earth
• Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority
• Goulburn Broken Catchment Authority Management
• Greater Sydney Local Land Services
• Greening Australia
• Greenpeace Australia Pacific
• Griffith University
• Hands On Wildlife
• Healthy Land and Water
• Holbrook Landcare
• Horizon UAS
• Horticulture Australia
• Hunter Local Land Services
• Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association
• Indigenous Land Corporation
• Indigenous Ranger Biosecurity Initiative - non AIS funding
• Industry Plantation Management Group
• Institute of Foresters of Australia
• Invasive Species Council
• Island Conservation
• James Cook University
• Jawoyn
• Kalano Community Association
• Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management
• Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa
• Keep Australia Beautiful
• Koi Society of Australia
• Landcare Association of SA
• Landcare Australia  Ltd
• Lantana Removal Queensland
• Leave No Trace Australia Ltd
• Local Government Association of Queensland
• Local Land Services - South East
• Mallee Catchment Management Authority
• Maritime Industry Australia Ltd
• Melbourne Water
• Minerals Council Australia
• Moreton Bay Regional Council
• Murray Local Land Services
• Murrumbidgee Landcare
• National Aquaculture Council
• National Biosecurity Committee
• National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
• National Environmental Science Programme
• National Farmers' Federation
• National Landcare Advisory Council
• National Landcare Network
• National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA)
• National Parks Association of NSW
• National Parks Association of Queensland
• National Parks Association of the ACT
• National Trust South Australia
• National Wild Dog Action Plan
• Native Plants Queensland
• Natural Assets NRM
• Natural History Society of South Australia
• Natural Resource Management North
• Natural Resource Management South
• Nature Conservancy Australia
• Nature Conservation Council of NSW
• Nature Conservation Society of SA
• Nature Foundation SA
• New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council
• Ningaloo Environmental Assistance Program
• North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA)
• North Central Catchment Management Authority
• North Coast Regional Landcare Network
• North East Catchment Management Authority
• North Queensland Dry Tropics
• North West Local Land Services
• North West Plains Sustainability Group
• Northern & Yorke Natural Resources Management
• Northern Agricultural Catchment Council (NACC)
• Northern Gulf Resource Management Group
• Northern Land Council (NLC)
• Northern Slopes Landcare Association
• Northern Tablelands Local Land Services
• Northern Territory Field Naturalists' Club
• NRM Futures
• NRM Regions Australia
• NRM WA
• NSW Department of Primary Industries
• NSW Farmers
• Nursery and Garden Industry Australia
• OceanWatch Australia
• Office of Environment and Heritage NSW
• Office of the Inspector-General of Biosecurity
• Office of the Threatened Species Commissioner
• Peel-Harvey Catchment Council
• Perth Region NRM
• Perth Zoo
• Pet Industry Association of Australia
• Pilbara Regional Biosecurity Group Inc
• Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre
• Plant Biosecurity Science Foundation
• Plant Health Australia
• Port Phillip and Western Port Catchment Management Authority
• Ports WA Environmental Working Group
• Queensland Conservation Council
• Queensland Gas Company
• Queensland Murray Darling Committee
• Queensland Mycological Society Inc.
• Queensland Regional NRM Groups Collective
• Queensland University of Technology
• Queensland Water and Land Carers
• Rainforest Rescue
• Rangelands
• NRM
• Recfishwest
• Redland City Council
• Reef Catchments Mackay Whitsunday Inc
• Rio Tinto
• Riverina Local Land Services
• Royal Agricultural Society NSW
• Serenitec
• Shell Development Australia
• Shipping Australia Ltd
• Soils for Life
• South 32
• South Australia Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management
• South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management
• South Coast NRM
• South East Local Land Services
• South East Natural Resources Management
• South East Queensland Catchments
• South West Catchments Council
• Southern Gulf NRM
• Spotless
• Stadiums Queensland
• Sunbirds Aero
• Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform Australia
• Swan River Trust (DPAW)
• Tamworth Regional Landcare Association
• Tasmanian Conservation Trust
• Tasmanian Land Conservancy
• Tasmanian National Parks Association
• Terrain NRM
• Terrestrial Ecosystems
• Territory NRM
• Tiwi Land Council
• Tourism Australia
• Trees for Life
• Trust for Nature
• Tweed Shire Council
• University of Canberra - Institute for Applied Science
• University of Melbourne
• University of New England
• University of Queensland
• VFF horticulture group
• Victorian National Parks Association
• Warren Catchment Council
• Weed Management Society of South Australia
• Weed Society of Queensland
• Weed Society of Victoria (Inc.)
• West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority
• Western Australia Water Corporation
• Western Australian Fishing Industry Council
• Western Australian Local Government Association
• Wet Tropics Management Authority
• Wheatbelt NRM
• Wild Matters Pty Ltd
• Wilderness Society
• Wildlife Disease Association
• Wildlife Health Australia
• Wildlife Management International
• Wimmera Catchment Management Authority
• Woodside Energy
• Wool Producers Australia
• World Animal Protection (formerly World Society for the Protection of Animals Australia)
• World Wide Fund for Nature - Australia
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

Please note that state and territory government attendees were invited in their roles as Environment and Invasive Committee members or observers.

Sector	Attended (nos)
Animal producers	3
Biosecurity orgs	1
Committees	2
Environmental orgs	13
Government	36
Indigenous	3
Plant producers	3
Supplementary/Associated	10

Total = 71

Schedule	Topic	Presenter
9:00-9:05	Item 1 – Welcome	Facilitator/Host: Josephine Laduzko, A/g First Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
9:05-9:20	Item 2 – Department of Agriculture and Water Resources update	Josephine Laduzko, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
9:20-9:30	Item 3 - Department of the Environment and Energy update	Milena Rafic, Assistant Director, Environmental Biosecurity, Department of the Environment and Energy
9:30-10:45	Item 4 – 'What's New' session	Registered participants
10:45-11:00	Item 5 – Morning tea
11:00-11:30	Item 6 – Biosecurity and Surveillance in the Northern Peninsula Area and Torres Strait	Craig Marston, Project Officer, Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy
11:30-12:00	Item 7 – Introduction to the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer	Ian Thompson, Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer
12:00-12:30	Item 8 – Introduction to the Threatened Species Commissioner	Dr Sally Box, Threatened Species Commissioner
12:30-1:00	Item 9 – Indigenous Engagement Model	Dr Payi Linda Ford, Principal Research Fellow, Charles Darwin University
1:00-1:45	Item 10 – Lunch
1:45-2:25	Item 11 – Environmental Biosecurity in Queensland	Malcolm Letts, A/g Chief Biosecurity Officer, Biosecurity Queensland Kristy Gooding, Lead - Natural Assets and NRM, Local Government Association of Queensland
2:25-2:45	Item 12 – National Invasive Ant Biosecurity Plan	Sarah Hilton, Director, Plant Health Policy, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Veronica Blazely, Director, Environmental Biosecurity, Department of the Environment and Energy
2:45-3:45	Item 13 – Panel session: Roles and responsibilities – now and emerging	Facilitator: Josephine Laduzko, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Ian Thompson Dr Sally Box Dr Linda Ford Malcolm Letts
3:45-3:50	Item 14 – Meeting close and summing up	Josephine Laduzko, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
3:50-4:00	Item 15 – Afternoon tea
5:30-7:30	Ranger to Ranger screening – The Thin Green Line Foundation

Date	Event	Location
11 April 2018	South Australia Biosecurity Roundtable	Adelaide
3 May 2018	Environmental Biosecurity Roundtable 1	Canberra
7 June 2018	Tasmania Biosecurity Roundtable	Hobart
4 July 2018	Western Australia Biosecurity Roundtable	Perth
2 August 2018	Victoria Biosecurity Roundtable	Melbourne
30 August 2018	New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Biosecurity Roundtable	Sydney
27 September 2018	Northern Territory Biosecurity Roundtable	Darwin
9 October 2018	Environmental Biosecurity Roundtable 2	Brisbane
11 October 2018	Queensland Biosecurity Roundtable	Brisbane
29 November 2018	National Biosecurity Forum	Canberra

We value your feedback – if you have suggestions about this roundtable or the roundtable program please contact us at biosecurityroundtable@aff.gov.au.

Phone 1800 068 468

agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/partnerships/nbc/biosecurity-roundtable

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Twitter: @DeptAgNews

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