National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan

SUBMISSION

22 August 2024

National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan Secretariat
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601

Via email to: nationalbiosecuritystrategy@aff.gov.au

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: The Draft National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan

Cattle Australia (CA) is the national peak body representing the interests of grass-fed beef cattle producers, providing a unified voice, industry leadership and policy direction. CA ensures grass-fed levies support grass-fed producers and a more productive and profitable industry. Our industry has much to be proud of with the national herd approaching 28 million head and 52,000 businesses, supporting 428,000 jobs, including processors, exporters and truck drivers. Cattle producers are the stewards of over 50% of the Australian landmass protecting and enhancing economic, social, cultural and environmental values for future generations.

CA fundamentally supports increased investment in biosecurity and acknowledges the timely increase in the Commonwealth budget. CA has worked, and will continue to work, with the
Department to ensure that this funding delivers maximum value and achieves the essential outcomes needed by our industry and the broader Australian community.

CA supports the shared vision of agriculture reaching its shared goal of $100 billion in production by
2030. Cattle makes the largest economic contribution to this target, and any biosecurity incursion threatens the entire shared vision. Australia exports around twice the volume of food that we consume, often to countries that cannot meet their own nutritional needs, much of this trade is reliant upon our disease-free status and our high biosecurity standards.

To achieve our goals, we invest as an industry in the very best of science and utilise future focused technology, particularly, the very best veterinary science. We also require Governments, both state and Commonwealth, to strive for the very best biosecurity outcomes for our industry by improving sustainable funding and resourcing of Australia’s biosecurity effort. The immediate implementation of the container levy is a ready example of an existing improvement yet to be implemented.

CA welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Draft National Biosecurity Strategy Action
Plan. CA maintains some concerns around the length of time it has taken to develop this draft, which essentially contains the original sub actions outlined in the National Biosecurity Strategy itself, despite the lengthy deliberations undertaken by the National Biosecurity Committee and the
National Implementation committee. However, Cattle Australia wishes to engage positively in this space with a view to supporting the full implementation of the National Biosecurity Strategy at the earliest possible convenience.

The grass-fed cattle sector is a founding supporter for the National Biosecurity Strategy, providing early support for the NBS during its consultation process. In that submission, we supported:

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Level 2, 28 National Circuit, Forrest ACT 2603 ca@cattleaustralia.com.au|1300 653 038
PO Box 4225, Manuka ACT 2603 ACN:625 194 096 | ABN: 54 625 194 096
• a broad and inclusive approach to the National Biosecurity Strategy.
• amendments which include language that describes stakeholders as “equal partners”
• language that describes a “real-time” approach to each of the six priority areas, specifically
data, investment, technology and culture
• the specific inclusion of improved cost recovery measures such as the container levy
• the provision of an interim review of the National Biosecurity Strategy

Regarding the implementation of the National Biosecurity Strategy and more specifically the supporting Draft Action Plan, CA is happy to provide the following points:
• The Forward should contain language describing the importance of Australia’s biosecurity in
underpinning our way of life as well as its role in realising our shared industry goals of
achieving $100 billion by 2030
• The introduction should contain language describing the needs for all levels of government
and industry to be ambitious and the need for urgency in improving our biosecurity systems
• The governance section should reference industry as “equal partners”, as described in our
submission on the National Biosecurity Consultation Draft and be included in Figure 1
“National Biosecurity Strategy Implementation governance structure”.
• Reporting should include reference to quarterly reporting, as is currently the case with the
LSD Action Plan, which would allow for a “real time approach to each of the six priority
areas” consistent with our earlier submission. Further, NIC meetings should include, as a
regular agenda item, updates to each of the priority areas as they progress in real time,
consistent with both Animalplan and the LSD Action Plan.
• NBS Priority Areas should include:
o The need for the NIC to work closely, as a group, with the National Biosecurity
Committee, the Sustainable Funding Advisory Panel, Animalplan steering
committee, and both the Plant and Animal Industry Forums.
o The need for discussion and review regarding the development of Australia’s
biosecurity systems against emerging biosecurity threats, rather than just existing
threats, again to provide a real time approach under the six priorities.
o The need for improved leadership and coordination of our Biosecurity resources
o IA4.5 The need to assess UHF and read-write tag technology as a mean of improved
traceability and livestock health and biosecurity management
o IA4.6 include the development of a real-time industry-partnered multi-species
livestock early-warning vector surveillance system, particularly in northern Australia.

Finally, CA would like to take this opportunity to suggest that the NIC take steps to invite stakeholders to speak to their submissions at an appropriate forum. This would allow the NIC to hear first-hand from stakeholders regarding the implementation and actioning of the NBS.

Your Sincerely,

Dr Chris Parker
Chief Executive Officer

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Level 2, 28 National Circuit, Forrest ACT 2603 ca@cattleaustralia.com.au|1300 653 038
PO Box 4225, Manuka ACT 2603 ACN:625 194 096 | ABN: 54 625 194 096