The second workshop in a project investigating requirements for the development of a Nationally Integrated Surveillance System for Plant Pests (NISSPP) was held early in June, following the recent Plant Health Australia (PHA) Member meetings. Plant industry and government representatives converged to discuss the delivery and resourcing requirements for plant pest surveillance.

To assess specific needs for surveillance undertaken for different purposes, the workshop used a case study, the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program, and three scenarios that included regional, urban and market access surveillance programs, to assess who could lead, undertake and fund activities.

Responses highlighted that although there are multiple ways to deliver and fund surveillance to meet the needs of timely detection and market access, there was support for a better integrated system that:

• defines and creates value for stakeholders
• builds capability and capacity amongst stakeholders
• provides a clear path for participation and resourcing
• is transparent and defensible
• is dynamic and adaptable
• is rigorous and consistent
• uses appropriate technologies and tools
• promotes partnerships, and
• is effective and efficient.

To achieve this, there is a need to improve, build or maintain surveillance activities in areas of highest risk of pest entry and establishment and where information is needed to support market access. No one group, agency, industry or government can meet all of our surveillance needs, and an improved system will need to create mechanisms that recognize activities from the many groups that undertake surveillance and plant pest monitoring, including developing ways we can share and use data from multiple sources.

The next stages of this project will be discussions on the potential for a formal agreement which develops mechanisms for shared governance, delivery and resourcing.

This work is part of a project led by PHA and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.