The Northern Rivers Times
April 21, 2022
38 RURAL
Stronger focus on biosecurity welcomed NSW Farmers is backing calls from NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders to make biosecurity a stronger focus ahead of the federal election, as pests and diseases continue to threaten the multibillion-dollar agriculture sector. Biosecurity was front of mind for Minister Saunders this week as he attended the Royal Easter Show and urged his federal Nationals counterparts to do more on the critical issue. Matthew Madden from the NSW Farmers Biosecurity Committee said pushing for biosecurity funding
was a key focus for the association, prompting several pre-budget requests for the state government. “Over the past few years we’ve seen commitments to biosecurity that haven’t really delivered the sustainable funding required for long-term growth and security,” Mr Madden said. “Biosecurity is a perpetual concern given the extreme cost a disease outbreak would carry, as well as the significant trade advantage Australia holds thanks to our relative disease-free status.
“At a state level, investment needs to be made in research and development to find smart and innovative solutions to threats, while at a national level we need a long-term funding model that makes those presenting a biosecurity risk pay.” In recent years, reports on the state of biosecurity operations in Australia have highlighted the need for agencies to better respond to biosecurity risk and for adequate investment in detection systems. The discovery of two live-rooted rose plants at the Sydney Gateway Facility last
year carried the risk of introducing Xylella fastidiosa, which was an incurable threat to more than 500 plant species and native plants. A single disease outbreak could cost billions and would be fatal to the growth of Australian agriculture, Mr Madden said. “Australia needs to be prepared with a stronger biosecurity system to fight emergent threats in a modern world,” he said. “The recent spread of Japanese encephalitis virus to places it has never been in Australia, namely NSW and Victoria, tells us
something about our changing environment and ecosystems – and we need to be prepared for that. “We have been forewarned by Australia’s chief science agency, CSIRO, that a globalised world and a changing climate will present new biosecurity risks, and we absolutely cannot be caught flatfooted on this issue.” NSW Farmers has asked the NSW Government to commit to: • $25 million in the next year to fund mitigation and preparedness action that ensures primary
producers have the capacity to effectively prepare, respond, and recover from incursions of exotic pests and disease. • $60 million over two years to ensure that biosecurity training, testing, diagnostic tools across multiple commodity areas are both prioritised and delivered. • $2 million over two years to take a leading role in livestock traceability education, compliance, and costs.
Agricultural productivity must not be forgotten NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin says the decision to renew petroleum exploration licenses in the Liverpool Plains is a very disappointing given the agricultural productivity of the land and water in the region. Last week the NSW Government quietly renewed coal seam gas exploration tenements owned by Santos. Mr Martin, a grain
farmer from the area, said NSW Farmers policy was that CSG posed an unacceptable and unmanageable risk
to the water resources, soil and air quality, local and rural communities.
amount of highly fertile, productive agricultural land in this country, and we must be very careful about how we use it,” Mr Martin said. “Australia feeds 75 million people every year and there are increasing demands for food from our healthy plants and healthy animals. “Once agricultural land is lost it is lost forever, and it is disappointing to see this decision
leave the gate open for developments that are just not right for this area.” Mr Martin said the fact remained the full impact of this exploration was unknown. “We don’t know what might happen to our land and water, and what irreparable damage might be caused,” Mr Martin said. “We need to protect the Liverpool Plains, as it is
an iconic food producing region, from degradation by coal and coal seam gas development. “If the NSW Government does not heed warnings about the risk of long-term damage to land and water resources, then it must take full responsibility and liability for any damage.”
