Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says the initiative, which has been agreed upon by the states and territories, will set the strategy for tackling escalating biosecurity risks over the coming decade.
Australia is developing its first national biosecurity plan to combat the growing risk of environmental and financial damage from exotic pests and diseases, driven by factors such as globalisation and climate change.
Australia has suffered a number of devastating outbreaks of pests and diseases since colonisation and Watt said a stronger shield against future incursions was a “critical national asset”.
The strategy has identified a need for new funding to bolster the system and Watt said last week he had begun discussions with his cabinet colleagues about “what more we can be doing and what more funding might be required”.CSIRO has calculated that pests, weeds and diseases cost Australia $25 billion a year, including environmental damage from tens of millions of feral pigs, goats, rabbits, deer and other exotic pests.