THE federal government introduced its Biosecurity Amendment (Strengthening Biosecurity) Bill 2022 in parliament this week to boost Australia’s biosecurity laws.
The bill contains changes designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to and manage biosecurity risks.
It intends to encourage more thorough reporting of biosecurity risks entering Australia through seaports and airports and step up a range of civil and criminal penalties under the Biosecurity Act.
Murray Watt, minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, said people who jeopardised Australia’s biosecurity system would face tougher penalties of up to 1000 penalty units, or $222,000, if they do not fulfil their obligations.
He said aircraft and vessel operators who fail to comply with pre-arrival reporting requirements and people in charge of goods failing to report a reportable biosecurity incident are among those who endangered the biosecurity system.
“Operators and persons in charge of aircraft and vessels must properly report biosecurity threats, so that our biosecurity officers have accurate and up-to-date information available to assess the risks onboard,” Mr Watt said.
“By expanding pre-arrival reporting requirements, the bill will implement important lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That includes harsher penalties and additional reporting responsibilities, developed through advice from the Inspector General of Biosecurity report into the failures that lead to the Ruby Princess cruise ship debacle.”
Mr Watt said the biosecurity measures being introduced are long overdue.
“The former government failed to prioritise this legislation in their last term, leaving Australia unprepared for the threats we face,” he said.
“While the overwhelming majority do the right thing, a very small minority may be careless or break the rules, and we need to make sure appropriate deterrents are in place.”
The bill is considered the first stage of improvements to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity system, with future amendments to include tougher penalties for failing to declare high-risk biosecurity goods such as meat products which carry the risk of foot and mouth disease.
Mr Watt said Australia’s biosecurity system underpins 1.6 million jobs across the agricultural supply chain and $70.3 billion in exports.
“This bill shows we are serious, FMD would have a damaging impact on Australia’s biosecurity status, market access and economy and these new penalties will reflect that,” he said.
“If we wish to continue to keep Australia free of pests and diseases, the Biosecurity Act must remain fit-for-purpose and future-proofed.
“These stronger penalties – in some cases up to $1.1 million for corporate bodies – better reflect the seriousness of ignoring Australia’s tough biosecurity laws.
“Biosecurity is everybody’s responsibility, and everybody needs to do the right thing. If they don’t, the Australian public rightfully would expect that the punishment would fit the crime.”
