Australia’s biosecurity preparedness is the subject of a new parliamentary committee examining measures to protect the nation’s agricultural sector from disease.
A Senate committee is looking into the adequacy of the federal government’s preparedness for foot and mouth disease, which affects livestock, and varroa mite, which targets bees.
Representatives from several federal government departments, including agriculture and fisheries, home affairs and trade, will be questioned by senators at a committee hearing on Wednesday.
It comes after Agriculture Minister Murray Watt on Tuesday outlined the Albanese government’s biosecurity strategy amid emerging threats to Australia.
At least 15 million bees have been euthanised across 31 infected premises in NSW since the varroa mite was detected in June.
The risk of the highly contagious livestock disease foot and mouth entering Australia in the next five years has been increased to 11.6 per cent after it spread to Bali.
Senator Watt on Tuesday announced a $10 million biosecurity assistance package for Indonesia, which will provide vaccines and technical support to the nation.
It’s in addition to existing biosecurity measures such as passenger screening, sanitation mats at airports, and a public information campaign about the threat of foot and mouth disease.
Information provided to the committee from the federal agriculture department showed between July 1 and August 7 about 130,000 passengers arrived in Australia directly from Indonesia.
The department said there was a high level of compliance from passengers, and just 11 infringement notices were issued for undeclared disease risk items during this time.
