Biosecurity Advisory Council

Role of the Biosecurity Advisory Council

The Biosecurity Advisory Council was established on 1 January 2010 as a non-statutory advisory body to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, replacing the Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council.

The principal role of the Council is to provide independent advice on matters across the entire biosecurity continuum including the performance of all agencies operating in the biosecurity field.

The Council’s establishment addressed a key recommendation of the 2008 independent review of Australia’s quarantine and biosecurity arrangements—One biosecurity: a working partnership (the Beale review).

Interim Terms of Reference

The Council is to provide the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry with:

• co-ordinated, strategic risk-based policy advice on major biosecurity issues
• advice on biosecurity activities undertaken by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments including the identification of areas which could benefit from increased cooperation
• advice on improving responses to incidents of biosecurity concern, including emergency pest and disease incursions and strategies to deal with invasive species either established or newly introduced
• advice on the efficacy of public biosecurity awareness and education campaigns
• advice on any other matter referred to it by the minister.

The Council holds up to five meetings per year.

Membership

The Council consists of non-representative members with a broad range of skills in biosecurity and related disciplines. Nominations for membership are sought from state and territory governments, industry and academia, with appointments made by the Minister.

Council membership includes the Chair, seven members and the ex-officio position, represented by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity (or a delegate appointed by the Deputy Secretary). Secretariat services are provided to the Council by the department.

Member selection is based on experience in natural sciences related to pests and diseases of plants, animals and humans, risk assessment, management, ecology, agriculture, food production, and economic assessment.

On 6 July 2012, Dr Raoul Nieper AM was appointed as an interim member by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to replace the late Mr Peter Kenny as the council’s agricultural expert.

On 17 October 2012, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry endorsed the permanent appointment of Dr Nieper and extended the current Council membership to 30 April 2013.

Biosecurity Advisory Council members are:

• Mr Andrew Inglis AM (Chair)
• Dr Lisa Adams
• Dr Joanne Daly
• Dr Elizabeth Mattiske
• Ms Claire Penniceard
• Professor John Mackenzie
• Mr Dennis Witt
• Dr Raoul Nieper AM
• Ex-Officio, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Media release

Council to help protect Australia’s biosecurity – 21 December 2009

Further information

For more information please phone 02 6272 4898 or email.