Biosecurity is defined by Australia’s Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity as: the management of risks to the economy, the environment and the community, of pests and diseases entering, emerging, establishing or spreading.

 

In Western Australia Biosecurity is governed by the “The Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act (2007) (BAM Act). The Department of Agriculture is responsible for the administration of the Act and considers Biosecurity to be a “shared responsibility” between government agencies, industry and the community.

 

Under the BAM Act it is the responsibility of the landholder of an area infested with a declared pest to take prescribed measures to control the pest. The Act also requires that a person who finds or suspects the presence of a pest must report it to DPIRD.

 

“The BAM Act “enables the Minister for Agriculture to recognise groups as Recognised Biosecurity Groups (RBGs) for the purpose of controlling declared pests at a landscape scale across tenure. RBGs provide a mechanism to enable landholders and managers to develop a coordinated approach to control and manage declared pests in their area.” (DAFWA)