The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) has expressed disappointment with the release of the 2024 Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity (IGAB) Review Report and the accompanying joint government response, describing the outcome as a missed opportunity to strengthen Australia's biosecurity framework.
The IGAB outlines the responsibilities of governments and sets priorities for collaboration to reduce the impact of pests and diseases on Australia's economy, environment, and communities. It remains a key mechanism for coordinating cross-jurisdictional biosecurity measures.
NFF President David Jochinke said the latest review and response did not meet expectations. "The scope of this review was substantially narrower than previous IGAB reviews, and that's reflected in the recommendations. At a time when biosecurity risks are increasing, farmers were looking for ambitious reform and certainty; instead, we've been left with a missed opportunity," he said.
The review highlighted several challenges for Australia's biosecurity system, including a lack of transparency and public reporting from the National Biosecurity Committee; the absence of long-term, predictable funding for biosecurity across State and Territory governments, unlike the Commonwealth; and recognition that IGAB cannot be effective without consistent implementation across all governments.
"While we note governments' agreement to the majority of recommendations, there is already a mounting pile of biosecurity reviews and reports gathering dust from past IGAB reviews to findings of the Inspector-General of Biosecurity," Jochinke said.
"What farmers need now is for governments and industry to work together and get on with the job, starting with urgent action to address outstanding biosecurity review recommendations, and expedited implementation of the National Biosecurity Strategy. The cost of failure to safeguard our biosecurity system is simply too high."
The NFF stated it remains ready to work with the Commonwealth, States, and Territories to ensure Australia's biosecurity arrangements are transparent, consistently applied, and sustainably funded.
For more information:
National Farmers Federation
Tel: +61 (0) 2 6269 5666
Email: [email protected]
www.nff.org.au