NPBPS – Executive summary

The National Plant Biosecurity Preparedness Strategy (the strategy) provides a framework to develop the capabilities required to prepare for and manage plant biosecurity risks across Australia. It is one of several strategies that supports the broader national biosecurity system through its alignment with the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity (IGAB) and the National Plant Biosecurity Strategy (NPBS).

The strategy’s vision for 2031 is a resilient plant biosecurity system that identifies and reduces risk, and works to minimise the impact of biosecurity incidents to Australia’s plant industries, economy, environment and community. Achieving this shared vision requires collective effort nationally along with the people, resources, infrastructure, policies, standards and tools to address the most important priorities for Australia’s plant biosecurity system.

The strategy is based around five interconnected goals shown below. Each goal is supported by a series of actions that will guide and support national policy and inform investment in research, development and extension. The actions can also be used to guide state/territory, regional and local efforts or efforts by individual governments, plant industries and stakeholder groups.

Goal 1: Stronger national and international connections.
Goal 2: Enhanced and improved capacity and capability to mitigate and respond to plant biosecurity risks.
Goal 3: Enhanced participation and achievement of biosecurity outcomes.
Goal 4: Production and environmental assets protected and market access maintained.
Goal 5: Recovery and management supported during and following plant biosecurity incursions.

The strategy applies to plant pests and weeds that impact Australia’s plant industries, environment and community. For the purpose of the strategy, plant pests are defined as any species, strain or biotype of invertebrate or pathogen injurious to plants, plant products or bees. The application of the strategy to weeds covers exotic weed species and declared weed species not known to be established in a particular jurisdiction.

It builds upon the achievements and momentum of previous actions and successes, and provides continued benefits for the national plant biosecurity system through the following outcomes:

  • Improved plant biosecurity preparedness delivery through collaborative partnerships between stakeholder groups nationally and internationally.
  • Skilled people, contemporary systems and technologies that are prepared to mitigate plant biosecurity risks and are response‑ready.
  • Improved participation in preparedness activities through a greater awareness of plant biosecurity risks.
  • Reduced impact of plant biosecurity incursions on the environment, community, trade and market access.
  • Plant industries, the environment and communities recover rapidly and fully after a biosecurity incident.

The successful implementation of the strategy will deliver an effective and efficient approach to strengthen Australia’s level of preparedness. It will also result in an improved national plant biosecurity system that will manage risks to Australia’s plant industries, environment and community while supporting trade and market access.