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Tasmanian Biosecurity Advisories

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

Latest Advisories

Subscribing to get DPIPWE’s Biosecurity Advisories is the best way you can keep yourself up-to-date and fully informed about Tasmanian biosecurity issues. Our Advisories cover topics such as changes or proposed changes to Tasmania’s import regulations, animal health and welfare, plant health, forthcoming regulation reviews and opportunities for public comment, new or emerging pest/disease risks and a range of other matters related to Tasmania’s biosecurity.


206 advisories found.
 
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Biosecurity Advisory 17/2019 - Biosecurity Advisory Committee – Chair and Members - Expressions of Interest now open

Expressions of interest are being sought for the position of Chair and members of the new Biosecurity Advisory Committee (BAC) to be established under s267 of the Biosecurity Act 2019 (the Act).

The BAC will provide advice to the Minister and Secretary on any matter related to biosecurity, in particular:
  • the requirements of a comprehensive and effective biosecurity system for Tasmania, and necessary linkages to other biosecurity systems (national and international); 
  • opportunities to improve industry and community awareness of biosecurity;
  • opportunities to improve collaboration in achieving improved biosecurity outcomes including preparedness for biosecurity emergencies; and
  • any other biosecurity related matter referred to the Committee by the Minister or the Secretary.
The Committee will comprise a Chair and a membership comprising the following:
  • a representative of wild fisheries industries;
  • a person with relevant knowledge and experience in science, industry and community liaison and education;
  • a person with relevant accounting, economic or strategic planning expertise;
  • a person with public administration expertise at both the State and local government level;
  • a representative of animal-based agricultural industries;
  • a representative of plant-based agricultural industries;
  • a representative of aquaculture industries;
  • a representative of tourism industries;
  • a representative from environmental organisations;
  • a community member; and
  • a State Service employee.
Noting a member may satisfy more than one of the statutory membership criteria.

Those interested need to provide information that outlines their suitability for appointment to the role of Chair or member of the BAC.  Further information on the position of Chair and Member and on the selection process can be found at:
https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/BAC​
Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply, in accordance with the Tasmanian Government’s Women on Boards strategy, which aims to improve gender equity and increase female representation on its boards, statutory bodies and committees.​
Expressions of Interest can be lodged at: EOI Biosecurity Advisory Committee, Biosecurity Tasmania – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, or emailed to: John.Harkin@dpipwe.tas.gov.au by 5 pm, 7 October 2019.

(13/9/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Freshwater pests; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Livestock; Marine pests; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Timber imports; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 16/2019 – Draft Cat Management Amendment Bill 2019 open for public comment

​The draft exposure bill of proposed amendments to the Tasmanian Cat Management Act 2009 has been released for public comment. 

Cats are an important part of our lives as companion animals and are very much part of families and the Tasmanian community.

The proposed amendments seek to improve levels of responsible cat ownership and welfare, provide for the effective management of cats, and reduce the potential negative impacts of cats on the community, agriculture and the environment in Tasmania. 

The amendments deliver on recommendations for legislative change identified in the ‘Tasmanian Cat Management Plan 2017-2022’. The Plan was developed in consultation with the Tasmanian Cat Management Reference Group, consisting of stakeholders with a direct interest in cat management.

Public consultation is open and closes at 5pm on 4 October 2019. At the end of the consultation period, stakeholder feedback will be considered and the Bill will be finalised.

Submissions may be lodged either by: 
or
Mail:   Office of the General Manager
           Biosecurity Tasmania 
           Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
           GPO Box 44
           Hobart TAS 7001

Submissions will close at 5.00 pm on 4 October 2019.

For further information on how to make a submission, please visit the website at:
https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/cat-management-in-tasmania/cat-management-amendment-bill 

(30/8/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Freshwater pests; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Livestock; Marine pests; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Timber imports; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 15/2019 - Public comment invited on proposal to import Caracal into Tasmania

​The Wildlife Management Branch of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment have received a submission for the Caracal (Caracal caracal) species profile for consideration to import into Tasmania. 

Public comments are invited by 14  August 2019.

Details of the species profile and risk assessment are available for viewing on the DPIPWE website at:  

https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/wildlife-management/management-of-wildlife/wildlife-imports/species-risk-assessments-for-comment

For further enquiries on the import proposal please contact:

Wildlife Management Branch
DPIPWE
200 Collins Street 
GPO Box 44
HOBART TAS 7001
Phone: 03 6165 4305
Fax: 03 6173 0253

​

(2/8/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Freshwater pests; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Livestock; Marine pests; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Timber imports; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 14/2019 – ​ Call for public comment on Regulatory Impact Statement – draft Plant Quarantine Amendment Regulations 2019

The Tasmanian Government is committed to providing opportunities for industry and community involvement in the development of Government policy. We are seeking your input on the draft Plant Quarantine Amendment Regulations 2019.

A Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) has been prepared in accordance with Schedule 2 of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1992.  The RIS provides complete information on the objects of the proposed regulatory changes (which include an increase to fees for specific biosecurity inspection services to further boost frontline biosecurity and other initiatives) and an assessment of the known impacts of the changes.

Submissions are invited on any aspect of this RIS and accompanying draft Plant Quarantine Amendment Regulations 2019.  Comment is especially invited on the potential costs and benefits of the draft Amendment Regulations for business and other sectors of the community.

All written submissions must be received by 5.00 pm on Tuesday 30 July 2019.

Submissions can be forwarded to:
Or mail:
Office of the General Manager
Biosecurity Tasmania 
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
GPO Box 44
Hobart, TAS 7001

More information regarding the public submission process, the draft Plant Quarantine Amendment Regulations 2019 and accompanying RIS can be viewed at dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/about-biosecurity-tasmania/draft-plant-quarantine-amendment-regulations​
​

(8/7/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Freshwater pests; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Timber imports; Wildlife; Livestock; Marine pests;

Biosecurity Advisory 13/2019 – ​ Applications for Small Grants under the Weeds Action Fund are now open

The Tasmanian Government Weeds Action Fund (WAF) is a ground-breaking fund with a total budget of $5 million over five years to tackle weeds that are impacting on valuable agricultural and environmental assets.

This will ensure we can step up the fight against significant agricultural and environmental weeds, helping farmers, land managers and the community in general to reduce the cost and impact weeds cause.

It has been recently estimated that weeds cost Australian agriculture almost $5 billion annually, including control costs and loss of production.

The funds are to be invested with farmers, Landcare and other community organisations to tackle high priority weeds impacting valuable agricultural and environmental assets.  Weed management is a shared responsibility and the fund aims to support co-investment to deliver practical on-ground works.

Funding of $140,000 for small grants under Stage 1 of the WAF (‘Small Grants’ program) are now open now until 31 July 2019. 
 
Grant eligibility guidelines, assessment criteria and instructions on how to apply can be found on the DPIPWE website at www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/weeds/weeds-action-fund-small-grants   

A further round of grants with updated guidelines will be released in late 2019.

(14/6/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Freshwater pests; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Livestock; Marine pests; Natural environment; Plant diseases; Pasture; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Timber imports; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 12/2019 – Amendments to Import Requirement (IR)10: Grape Phylloxera – Hosts and Vectors, & IR46: Tomato Potato Psyllid – Hosts and Vectors

​On 28 May 2019, Biosecurity Tasmania declared by public notice changes to Import Requirements 10 and 46 of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania however; those regulatory changes do not come into effect until 27 July 2019. The changes have been brought into regulation to align with similar changes in regulation for these pests by all other States and Territories.


Import Requirement 10 – Grape Phylloxera – Hosts and Vectors
Import conditions relating to the entry of grapevine cuttings and rootlings originating from a Phylloxera Exclusion Zone (PEZ) or Phylloxera Risk Zone (PRZ) will change on 27 July 2019. Cutting material and rootlings will no longer be permitted entry from PRZ’s. For plant material originating from PEZ’s, they now must be hot water treated, unless the cuttings or rootlings originate from a State or Territory holding a current Whole-of-State Pest Area Freedom Certificate, for freedom from grape phylloxera, in which case they are exempt from the specified treatment conditions.


Import Requirement 46 – Tomato Potato Psyllid – Hosts and Vectors
From 27 July 2019, import conditions will no longer be imposed on seed and ware potatoes for tomato potato psyllid. Clean seed and ware potatoes without green material are not a host of tomato potato psyllid. Even though tomato potato psyllid vectors zebra chip (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum), extensive field surveys in Western Australia indicate this serious disease of potatoes is not present despite presence of tomato potato psyllid.

Other States and Territories have similarly relaxed entry conditions for seed and ware potatoes with respect to the risks posed by tomato potato psyllid as a result of the Western Australian field survey results.

The amended versions of IR10 & IR46 are available here https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/biosecurity/importing-plants/plant-import-requirement-changes

(13/6/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds;

Biosecurity Advisory 11/2019 - Notice of public consultation meetings for the Independent Review of the Queensland Fruit Fly Response

The 2018-2019 Queensland fruit fly (QFF) response was the largest biosecurity response in Tasmania’s history. 

An Independent Review into the Tasmanian QFF incursion and response is currently underway.  The aim of the Review is to consider the lessons learnt to ensure that Tasmania is best placed to manage the risk which QFF poses to our horticultural industries.

As the next stage in the review process, a series of public consultation meetings with the Independent Reviewer have been scheduled as follows:
  • FLINDERS ISLAND – Furneaux Arts and Entertainment Centre (Whitemark), Monday 1 July 2019 (5:30-7:30pm).
  • DEVONPORT – Paranaple Arts Centre – Aberdeen Room (145 Rooke St, Devonport), Tuesday 2 July 2019 (5:30-7:30pm).
  • GEORGE TOWN – George Town Community Centre (39-43 Friend St, George Town), Wednesday 3 July 2019 (5:30-7:30pm).
  • HUONVILLE – Huonville Library – Peach & Plum Room (1 Skinner Drive, Huonville), Thursday 4 July 2019 (5:30-7:30pm).
These meetings are open to all members of industry and the general public.  

Please RSVP by 28 June 2019, indicating your intended venue, by emailing: Fruit.Fly.Consultation@dpipwe.tas.gov.au ​


(11/6/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Livestock; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 10/2019 – Amendments to Import Requirement 11: Onion Smut and Iris Yellow Spot Tospovirus (IYSV) - Hosts and Vectors

​Amendments to Import Requirement (IR) 11 have come into immediate effect from midnight on Tuesday 28 May 2019, removing import conditions specific to onion smut (whilst still retaining import conditions for Iris Yellow Spot Tospovirus (IYSV).

The disease onion smut (Urocystis cepulae) has been formally reported by the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR),  to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat, as no longer being present in Australia. The report was made on 28 May 2019 (https://www.ippc.int/en/countries/australia/pestreports/).

As onion smut is now reported absent from Australia, Biosecurity Tasmania has revoked onion smut (Urocystis cepulae) from being a List A Regulated Quarantine Pest of concern, to a Non-Quarantine Pest on 28 May 2019.

Further, Biosecurity Tasmania has immediately amended the existing import regulatory conditions of IR11 to both:

  1. Recognise the delisting of the disease as a quarantine pest of concern by removing any reference to it in IR11; and
  2. Remove any impositions in trade of Allium species (onions, garlic, chives, shallots, etc) that applied to this disease.

Import conditions remain in place for preventing the entry of the serious viral pathogen, Iris Yellow Spot Virus (IYSV), which could have a very damaging impact on the onion industry in Tasmania if introduced.

The amended version of IR11 is available here (https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/biosecurity/importing-plants/plant-import-requirement-changes )

For more biosecurity information visit the website at: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity or contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3777 or email: Biosecurity.Tasmania@dpipwe,tas.gov.au​

(7/6/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Gene technology; Horticulture; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds;

Biosecurity Advisory 9/2019 - Queensland fruit fly Control Area and Infected Area restrictions on Flinders Island have been lifted

​The Queensland fruit fly (QFF) Control Area restrictions for the Furneaux Group of Islands and Infected Area restrictions at Lady Barron on Flinders Island have been lifted.

Restrictions were officially lifted at 12:01am, Saturday 30 March 2019.  This means that normal movement of fruit fly host produce for Flinders Island can now resume.

Following the earlier lifting of restrictions for northern Tasmania on 9 January 2019, the lifting of restrictions on Flinders Island now means that all Control Area restrictions have been lifted for the State.

Biosecurity Tasmania would like to once again thank the Flinders Island community for their ongoing support, patience and assistance with the fruit fly response.  Since the initial detection of fruit fly on the Island in early 2018 our aim has been to eradicate this pest.  We are very pleased to report that these efforts have been successful.

Biosecurity Tasmania will continue with fruit fly monitoring and reporting activities, which includes regular checking of the permanent fruit fly trap network across the State.

While the northern Control Area and Furneaux Group of Islands have regained their Pest Free Area Status, all Tasmanians are encouraged to remain aware of the risk of QFF and to be on the lookout for any signs of fruit fly and report any suspect produce to Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3774.

Please remember that everyone must continue to obey Tasmania’s strict rules and regulations regarding not bringing fruit fly host produce into the State from mainland Australia.  Fines may apply. Commercial shipments of fruit and vegetables are permitted only if they comply with special certifications from the state of origin and where required, appropriate treatments to manage risk of QFF entry.

Further information is available on the website: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/fruitfly

(1/4/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Wildlife; Gene technology;

Biosecurity Advisory 8/2019 - Independent review of the Queensland Fruit Fly response has now commenced

The 2018-2019 Queensland fruit fly (QFF) response was the largest biosecurity response in Tasmania’s history. 

An Independent Review into the Tasmanian QFF incursion and response has now commenced.  The aim of the Review is to consider the lessons learnt to ensure that Tasmania is best placed to manage the risk which QFF poses to our horticultural industries.

Written submissions for the Review can now be lodged until 31 May 2019 to Fruit.Fly.Review@dpipwe.tas.gov.au

 Public meetings will be held in June/July 2019, with the final report to be finalised by year end.  

For more information about the Review and for further instructions on how to make a submission please visit: https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/about-biosecurity-tasmania/independent-review-of-the-queensland-fruit-fly-response​​

(18/3/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds;

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