Share your thoughts on reforms for the national biosecurity system

Biosecurity protects Australia’s environment, agriculture, economy and communities from pests and diseases. Australia’s biosecurity system is under evolving pressure, owing to factors such as:

  • changes to trade and traveller patterns

  • rising costs and complexity of managing incursions

  • changing economic, environmental and geopolitical conditions.

To respond to these risks, we have proposed national biosecurity reforms.

The proposed reforms come from ongoing discussions with industry, producers, research bodies, community, First Nations representatives and governments. They build on progress we’re already making through the National Biosecurity Strategy.

We have prepared a discussion paper which outlines the proposed reform ideas. We invite you to review this discussion paper and share your feedback.

Your feedback will inform a reform roadmap for consideration by Australia’s Agriculture Ministers later this year.

Key documents

National biosecurity reform agenda discussion paper [PDF 548 KB] [Word 1.5 MB]

If you have difficulty accessing these files, please contact BiosecurityReform@aff.gov.au

Timeline

  • Consultation opens
    current

    30 April 2026

  • Consultation closes
    pending

    12 June 2026

  • Feedback summary published
    pending

    July 2026

  • Roadmap of reforms considered by Agriculture Senior Officials Committee
    pending

    October 2026

  • Roadmap of reforms considered by Agriculture Ministers
    pending

    November 2026

Contact
Biosecurity Strategy and Reform Division