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What is biosecurity

Biosecurity protects our unique biodiversity, promotes food security and minimises the risk of transmission of infectious diseases.

Biosecurity is the way we stop the introduction and spread of harmful organisms such as viruses, bacteria, animals, plants, pathogens and insects into our country and how we manage the impacts of those already here.

In agriculture, biosecurity measures are aimed at protecting food crops and livestock from pests, weeds and diseases and enhancing access to markets for Australian primary industries. In ecosystems, these measures refer to the protection of native plants and animals from alien invasive species and from a human population perspective, biosecurity helps protect citizens from infectious diseases.

Australia's Biosecurity Future: Unlocking the next decade of resilience

The Australia's Biosecurity Future report provides a transformational vision for a resilient biosecurity system in 2030, and outlines what needs to happen to get there.

Watch our short video to find out more about our insights for a biosecurity system transformation.

You can download a copy of the report here.

[Image appears of a view looking over a scrubby mountainous area and then images move through of a car travelling down a dirt road, a kangaroo, and Dr Andy Sheppard talking and text appears: Dr Andy Sheppard, CSIRO]

Dr Andy Sheppard: Australia is an island continent with a very unique flora and fauna which attracts tourists from around the world. 

[Image changes to show Dr Sheppard talking and then the image changes to show a rear view of a male working in a laboratory]

So, it’s vitally important that Australia has a biosecurity system to protect that wildlife. 

[Image changes to show a close view of a male syringing liquid into a sample container and then the image changes to show a close view of a male looking into a microscope] 

But we also have a globally driven export agricultural industry. 

[Images move through to show Dr Sheppard talking to the camera, an aerial view of a herd of cattle, and then a close view of a herd of cattle]

And the biosecurity system is also vitally important to ensure that Australians’ agricultural industries can grow and attract the best global prices.

[Image changes to show Sarah Corcoran talking to the camera and then the image changes to show a side view of a male in a hot house looking at a leaf through a magnifying glass and text appears: Sarah Corcoran, CEO, Plant Health Australia]

Sarah Corcoran: Australia’s Biosecurity Future Report provides us with a platform to go forward with our shared responsibility and to bring together partnerships with government, industry and the communities so that we protect Australia’s agricultural industries and environment into the future.

[Image changes to show Kathleen Plowman talking to the camera and text appears: Kathleen Plowman, CEO, Animal Health Australia]

Kathleen Plowman: Business as usual approach, scaling up on what we currently do, will not meet this growing and cumulative biosecurity risk that we face. 

[Image changes to show an aerial view of a herd of cattle and then image changes to show a close view of a farmer on a motorbike watching a mob of sheep]

There are more and more pests, weeds, diseases entering, or at our borders. 

[Image changes to show Kathleen talking to the camera]

We don’t have the luxury of time. We need to be pro-active and we need to come together and look at where are those priorities and where do we need to be investing. 

[Image changes to show an aerial view of trucks move through a shipping yard and then the image changes to show forklifts and cranes moving in a shipping yard]

If we want to be the most bio-secure trading nation that’s respected globally, we’re going to have to do a significant transformational change. 


[Image changes to show Andreas Glanznig talking to the camera and text appears: Andreas Glanznig, CEO, Centre for Invasive Species Solutions]

Andreas Glanznig: We need an innovation-centred transformation of our national biosecurity system if we’re going to keep Australia on the front foot. 

[Images move through to show a side view male syringing a liquid into a sample pot in a sample case and then the camera zooms in on the sample]

This is all about avoiding future impacts, avoiding future risks. 

[Image changes to show Andreas talking to the camera]

We can transform our national biosecurity system to put Australia on the front foot and that’s a goal worth fighting for.

[Music plays and the image changes to show the Plant Health Australia, Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Animal Health Australia and CSIRO logos and text appears above: Read Australia’s Biosecurity Future at csiro.au/biosecurityreport]

[Image changes to show the CSIRO logo and text on a white screen: CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency]

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