What You Need to Know
Breaking news: Current biosecurity responses 
We are currently responding to an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis, a mosquito-born virus that can infect pigs, horses and humans. Image: Stephen L. Doggett
Japanese encephalitis virus has been confirmed in pigs in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia. There have also been confirmed cases in humans. We are working closely with the Australian Government Department of Health, and state and territory counterparts, to respond to this outbreak. Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause reproductive losses and encephalitis in pigs and horses. In rare cases, Japanese encephalitis can also cause disease in people.
Pig and horse owners should implement mosquito control measures to help protect their animals – visit the Outbreak website for information. Anyone living, working or spending time near pigs or waterways where waterbirds are present should take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Horses are a ‘dead end host’ – meaning mosquitos cannot pass the virus from horses to humans. Find out more at the Department of Health website.
We are also monitoring Lumpy skin disease which has been detected in our region. Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease of cattle and water buffalo that causes relatively low mortality; however, the disease can result in animal welfare issues and significant production losses. The disease is spread primarily by biting insects including certain species of flies, mosquitoes and possibly ticks.
For the latest information or to report an outbreak, please visit the Australian Government Outbreak website as well as Pests, diseases and weeds on our website.
Welcome back travellers! Packing smart for Australia 
Image: Shutterstock
With international travel resuming, we’re starting to see more travellers and students arrive from overseas. We'd like to remind international travellers about our biosecurity requirements before they arrive. They help protect our agriculture and unique environment from harmful pests and diseases.
We have produced a short animation to help travellers understand what they can and can’t pack. The video highlights items that pose a biosecurity risk to Australia. It can help travellers avoid any financial penalties, including visa cancellation.
We have also created a factsheet for international students. It covers biosecurity requirements and lists products that cannot be brought in from overseas. It also includes tips to ease border clearance upon arrival. The factsheet is available in multiple languages.
Know someone travelling from overseas? Visit Travelling to Australia on our website, and share it with your networks to help spread the word.
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What We’ve Been Doing
Action plan to keep Australia khapra beetle free 
A khapra beetle outbreak would be a major threat to our grains industry and cost an estimated $15.5 billion over 20 years. Image: DAWE
Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) is Australia’s number two national priority plant pest and the number one plant priority pest for grains. Khapra beetle is not present in Australia but is highly invasive and if it established here, it could devastate our grain industries and damage our economy.
The Australian Government has released the National Khapra Beetle Action Plan 2021-2031 to promote vigilance and build capabilities to deal with the risk the pest poses to Australia.
In 2020-21, there were an unprecedented 19 khapra beetle interceptions at the border including in consignments of baby highchairs, white goods and in cardboard.
Urgent actions have been introduced to prevent the risk of khapra beetle incursions and protect Australia. The new action plan builds on these and provides a national strategy to react and respond to future incursions.
With cooperation between jurisdictions, plant industries, importers, and international visitors, this nationally agreed approach will ensure continued success in detecting and eliminating khapra beetle.
Read the action plan now on our website. If you suspect khapra beetle in imported goods, visit www.awe.gov.au/report or call our See. Secure. Report hotline on 1800 798 636.
General surveillance guidelines released 
General surveillance of biosecurity threats involves government, industry and communities. Image: Shutterstock
General surveillance programs engage people from all walks of life in monitoring and reporting pests, weeds and diseases. They play an important role in the shared biosecurity responsibility of government, industry and community.
Our social scientists in the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) have developed guidelines to provide practical insights and considerations to program staff, funders and decision-makers about starting and maintaining general surveillance programs.
The guidelines were developed from research using a systems-thinking approach, focusing on the components of the whole system, their interactions and the purpose of the general surveillance program. They are based on the experience of nine case studies in Australia and New Zealand across key biosecurity sectors: plant, animal, environment, marine and weeds.
Key priorities for general surveillance programs include proactive management to ensure weaknesses in one part of the program do not undermine other parts or the whole system, and sharing knowledge and experience between people to facilitate trust, learning and adaptation.
Read more about the research project, Making general surveillance work, as well as the case studies and the guidelines on our website.
Milestones for two of our detector dogs 
Velvet, left, and Finlay, right – two of our adorable detector dogs. Images: DAWE
Our detector dog Velvet has moved on from the department to start her new retired life. Retiree Velvet can now relax, soaking up the beach life and sipping margaritas with her new pack!
Velvet had an astonishing career total with 2,600 biosecurity seizures, including fruit, vegetables, meat, seeds, eggs and more recently the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). Velvet finished her career on an all-time high, being the first ever detector dog to sniff out live BMSB.
It’s sad to see Velvet leave, but there’s also a new kid on the block. Enter detector dog Finlay.
Recently graduating, he is now ready to join our elite fleet of detector dogs. Finlay has completed initial deployment in Brisbane and will shortly commence operations in Sydney.
We are excited to see the energetic Finlay start his career and follow in the paw prints of retiree Velvet.
Happy retirement Velvet and welcome Finlay!
Find out more about the important role our detector dogs play at our website.
Get involved
Have your say now on our national biosecurity strategy 
Image: DAWE
Facing the challenges on the horizon with a shared purpose – that’s the goal of a collective national biosecurity strategy being developed by the Australian and state and territory governments, industry, environment groups and communities.
The years ahead will bring untold risks to our food and fibre and precious environments, in the form of pests and diseases. We know about many of them, but many others will be new threats.
Coordinating how we respond and having national priorities now is the best way we can be ready. We’re on the way to finalising the national biosecurity strategy, and we’d like your feedback.
The consultation draft now released captures views we’ve heard to date about how the biosecurity system needs to evolve.
It outlines priority areas and initial strategic actions for our biosecurity system, and includes questions to guide your comments, which will inform next steps.
Your feedback will help shape the final version that will be presented to all Australian ministers responsible for biosecurity later this year.
Everyone who enjoys Australia’s agricultural produce and environment benefits from our biosecurity system. This strategy is for all Australians, so all views are invited.
Read the draft strategy and give your feedback on Have Your Say by 18 March 2022.
Help us improve our biosecurity website and newsletter 
Image: Shutterstock
Biosecurity.gov.au user experience
Everyone has a role in protecting Australia from harmful pests, diseases and weeds.
The biosecurity.gov.au website was developed to provide access to information and resources to raise awareness of biosecurity risks, and to make it easier to take action and report threats.
To improve the website we need your help. If you are interested in improving the user experience by testing this website, please fill in this short questionnaire.
Biosecurity Matters reader survey
And a reminder – our reader survey is still open! We’ve already heard great views from many of you. But if you haven’t had your say yet on improving our newsletter Biosecurity Matters, then feel free to take part in our short survey.
We’re looking for your feedback on the newsletter’s format, frequency and content. Help us deliver the stories you want, when you want them.
Have Your Say today.
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