A NEW bill will be introduced to the South Australian parliament this week, aimed at strengthening biosecurity protections for the state’s $18.5 billion dollar agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
The Biosecurity Bill 2024 aims to provide a contemporary framework for the protection of South Australia’s growing agribusiness sector, furthering current legislative reforms.
A release from the state government claims increased national and international movement of goods and people, climate change, changes in land use, e-commerce, and changes in global pest and disease distribution are placing increasing pressure on South Australia’s biosecurity system.
The SA government says the new bill will consolidate a number of existing acts to improve consistency across sectors, with these acts having been passed or last amended between 15 and 104 years ago.
The government believes the bill will enable a modern and responsive approach to biosecurity management to ensure South Australia remains a strong link in Australia’s biosecurity system.
Biosecurity is a key enabler of market access, providing for the safe supply of agricultural, fisheries and forestry products to local, interstate, and overseas markets.
This includes the use of traceability systems to verify the health status of such goods, their point of origin and their movement through the supply chain.
The national benefits of biosecurity in protecting primary industries, infrastructure, and companion animals have been estimated at over $250 billion per year, the state government says.
Biosecurity Bill 2024 will reportedly provide enhanced powers for a rapid and effective response in a biosecurity emergency.
Recent Biosecurity risks include Avian Influenza, Varroa Mite, and Foot and Mouth disease, all of which the state government says post significant risk to South Australia’s primary producers.
Clare Scriven, member of the South Australian legislative council said ensuring the strongest regulatory tools to respond to current and emerging biosecurity risks in South Australia is vital.
“The Biosecurity Bill provides a consistent, flexible, and future-proofed biosecurity regulatory framework to protect South Australia’s economy, community, and our terrestrial and aquatic environments,” Scriven said.
“It will introduce contemporary tools to prevent, control and manage biosecurity risks and impacts in South Australia, and recognises that biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility.”
The bill features concepts of shared responsibility and a general biosecurity duty across industry, government, and the community.
The government says under the new bill, everyone has a duty to take reasonable measures to prevent, eliminate, minimise, control or manage biosecurity risks.
