QFF calls for biosecurity to be a top priority for the next Queensland Government

Last week was the inaugural National Biosecurity Week, highlighting the crucial role biosecurity measures play in safeguarding Australia’s environment, agricultural industries, food supply, communities, and economy.

With events hosted across the country, including the 3rd Australian Biosecurity Symposium and the Biosecurity Youth Summit in Queensland, the week was an opportunity to highlight the importance of collaboration between government, industry, peak bodies, and the community in effectively managing biosecurity threats.

For Queensland this collaboration is more important than ever, with biosecurity risks expected to increase four-fold in the years ahead.

Queensland faces a range of factors that are contributing to this increased risk profile, including our extended coastline, the suitability of our climate for many pests and diseases, and the proximity of northern neighbours who are already managing a range of biosecurity incursions that are yet to reach Australia.

But perhaps the biggest factor that will increase biosecurity risk in the future is the significant increase in development activity in the regions which will see a high level of vehicle, soil, materials and people movement in and out of regional communities and landscapes.

Ahead of the upcoming state government election QFF is calling for a commitment from government to elevate biosecurity to a whole of government priority and invest in building biosecurity capability at a regional level.

The development of stronger co-designed partnership models, increased transparency, and a strategic approach to skill development in preparedness and response need to be fundamental priorities for the next Queensland Government.

With a range of ongoing incursions including Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), feral pigs, and fall army worm impacting various and overlapping agricultural industries throughout the state, QFF is also calling for the establishment of biosecurity zones to build capacity in surveillance, preparedness, and response, as well as targeted funding to address identified pests.

With RIFA alone threatening to cost the nation $2 billion a year, biosecurity isn’t just a burden for agriculture to bear and must be recognised as a shared responsibility and funded as such across government and industry.

National Biosecurity Week provided an opportunity to raise awareness of this joint responsibility, but efforts must be made to ensure the public understands their biosecurity obligations and the broader impacts pests and disease have on the Australian way of life. Biosecurity is not just a risk for agriculture, it is a risk for all Queenslanders.

At yesterday’s Rural Press Club of Queensland event the LNP - Liberal National Party of Queensland announced plans to increase the state’s biosecurity budget by $50M if elected this October. QFF welcomes this announcement and awaits further details on how this funding will be allocated.

To learn more about QFF’s biosecurity policy priorities ahead of the state government election visit https://www.qff.org.au/2024-election-priorities-biosecurity/