Strengthening Australia’s biosecurity system through national reform
Australia’s biosecurity system underpins the health of our environment, our agricultural industries, our communities and our economy. As biosecurity risks continue to grow in scale, complexity and cost, Australian Agriculture Ministers remain committed to ensuring the system is sustainable, fit for purpose and positioned to protect the nation in the long-term.
Ministers have agreed to take a proactive and deliberate approach to respond to changing and emerging systemic national risks, making decisions about where effort is focused, prioritising activities of greatest consequence, and ensuring the system is structured for success now and into the future.
A national biosecurity reform agenda is being finalised to sharpen national priorities, enhance coordination across all partners, and ensure streamlined governance and delivery arrangements support timely, effective and accountable action.
As part of this agenda, Ministers have agreed priority reforms for 2026 and have asked the National Biosecurity Committee (NBC) to consult on medium and long-term reforms for a national reform roadmap (roadmap).
In addition, given the changed strategic and operational environments for the biosecurity system, Ministers have agreed for an early streamlined review of the National Biosecurity Strategy (NBS) implementation. The NBS remains the foundation for this reform effort and the collective vision for Australia’s future biosecurity system - a biosecurity system that protects Australia’s way of life. Outcomes of the review will support delivering future national reforms.
In the coming months, targeted stakeholder consultation will occur on the draft roadmap and the NBS implementation review to draw on national experience, operational insight and expert advice to ensure it is practical, enduring and forward looking. Critically, views will be sought on sequencing and delivering reform to guide future effort and possible investment, where it will have the greatest impact.
The NBC will bring forward the final roadmap and outcomes from the NBS implementation review by the end of 2026 for Ministers’ consideration. This will provide a clear way ahead for national reform and ensure a strong, sustainable and strategically focused biosecurity system for the years ahead.
Ministers also welcome the release of the inaugural NBS Annual Report for 2025 and NBS Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement Framework, which strengthen transparency and provide an ongoing public record of progress across the system.