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Questions On Notice Questions on notice are usually asked when a more detailed answer is required and are in writing, and are forwarded by the Clerk of the Parliament to the relevant Minister who prepares a written answer which is presented to Parliament.
Pest incursions in Queensland |
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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Jul 24 2006 |
| Questions On Notice >> |
Mr LAWLOR: Minister, I refer to page 1-5, dot point 9 of the Ministerial Portfolio Statement. Can you please outline how the department responds to pest incursions in Queensland?
Mr MULHERIN: Biosecurity is a shared responsibility. Australian border control is aimed at preventing the introduction of exotic pests and diseases and is managed by the Australian Quarantine
and Inspection Service. The department works closely with AQIS and industry to ensure that the risks posed by exotic pests and diseases are effectively managed and Queensland is prepared and able to rapidly and effectively respond should an outbreak occur.
Responses to emergency plant and animal pest and disease incursions are handled in accordance with the national response frameworks established under the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement and the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed. These arrangements form the basis for the management and funding of state and national responses to emergency pest and disease incursions, including what proportion of the cost of mounting a response will be paid by government and industry. These agreements also detail the key response management structures that are to be implemented at both state and national level during an emergency pest or disease response and outline the plan and decision-making process that applies at each of these levels.
The department's response to emergency pest and disease incursions in Queensland is to implement a range of measures including: confirming the identity of the pest or disease through diagnostic testing; establishing the relevant state based response management structures; determining the nature and extent of the outbreak through surveillance; implementing quarantine measures to control and contain the outbreak and to prevent the spread; providing data, technical advice, risk analysis and other inputs that assist national decisions on whether an incursion is eradicable in a costeffective way; developing response plans that detail the proposed longer term response strategy and budget for consideration by relevant national bodies; and implementing approved emergency pest or disease response plans.
The emergency response measures I have outlined have been successfully implemented to deal with a number of pest and disease incursions in Queensland over recent years. Examples include citrus
canker, red imported fire ant, electric ant, crazy ant, wheat streak mosaic virus, tomato yellow leaf curl virus and, more recently, sugarcane smut. Queensland may also be required to implement response
measures when pest and disease outbreaks occur in other states. These measures can include surveillance to provide evidence of absence in the state and movement restrictions to prevent introduction of pests or disease from other jurisdictions. Last changed: [PUBLISHED_DATE] at 4:01 PM
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