Australia benefits from natural protection as an island continent, however, the increase in holiday makers and international visitors, and the reported increase in imported goods, has significantly increased the risk of exotic pest incursion. The Australian industry directly employs tens of thousands of Australians and is the lifeblood of many regional centres and rural townships.

Strong biosecurity underpins the security of food supply for consumers and Australia’s reputation on the world stage.

Citrus Australia supports biosecurity policy that:

• Increases public and industry education
• Increases investment in resources for interception and detection
• Invests in biosecurity technology and innovation
• Invests in appropriate levels of resourcing
• Enforces biosecurity regulation, with the ability to enforce significant penalties for breaches of biosecurity border protection and breaches of protocols
• Regulates the nursery sector
• Supports pest free areas
• Expands capacity in biosecurity and sciences that underpin biosecurity
• Protects the growing investment in export markets