Nominations for the 2022 Australian Biosecurity Awards are now open.
The Australian Biosecurity Awards recognise individuals, groups and organisations that have shown a commitment to supporting and promoting Australia’s biosecurity and the systems that underpin it.
Nominations for the 2022 Australian Biosecurity Awards are now open.
Our strong biosecurity system reflects the shared responsibility of government, industries and our communities.
Across the country, Australians are doing their part to safeguard the nation from exotic pests and diseases.
From primary producers implementing biosecurity practices.
Chris Johnson and Andy O’Brien – Pohlmans Nursey, Farm Biosecurity Producer of the Year Award winner – 2021: For Pohlmans, the BioSecure HACCP system has really helped increase our productivity, but the big gains have been on our quality and efficiency.
To community groups, protecting Australia from biosecurity threats.
Justin Bellanger – South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc., Environmental Biosecurity Award winner – 2021: For us, this award really recognises the role that community can play as a key component to Australia's biosecurity system.
And those working on the front line to manage exotic pests and diseases.
Layton Hastings, AJ Lalara and Tom Lawton – Anindilyakwa Land Council Land and Sea Rangers and South32 GEMCO, Environmental Biosecurity Award winner – 2021: This award represents for us a real recognition of the work we're doing in this space, especially around cane toad biosecurity in Northern Australia.
They are researchers, innovators, educators and everyday Australians.
And they deserve to be recognised.
Sarah Corcoran, Dr Kim Ritman Award for Science and Innovation winner – 2021: It means a lot to me that someone thinks my contribution to biosecurity in Australia is worthy of nomination, let alone to win the award.
The Australian Biosecurity Awards recognise and celebrate those who have shown a commitment to supporting and promoting Australia's biosecurity and the systems that uphold it.
Tony Siciliano – GMV Fruit Fly Area Wide Management Program, Community Award winner – 2021: Let's tell the world there's no flies on us and it's a community effort that guarantees the quality of Australian horticulture.
Do you know an individual, group or organisation that deserves to be recognised for their contribution to biosecurity?
Visit agriculture.gov.au/ABA to learn more about the awards and for information on how to nominate.
Thank you to the 2021 winners featured in this video.
Submit a nomination
Do you know an individual, group or organisation that deserves to be recognised for their contributions to biosecurity?
Nominate them today.
To submit a nomination, complete the online nomination form.
Departmental staff cannot be nominated for an award.
Nominations close 5pm AEST 22 August 2022.A selection panel will assess each nomination based on the criteria for each award.
Award categories and selection criteria
These awards celebrate biosecurity contributions across 8 categories.
The Dr David Banks Biosecurity Lifetime Achievement Award recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution beyond their normal responsibilities for Australian biosecurity over a sustained period of time.
Criteria:
- 10 or more years of sustained contribution to Australian biosecurity.
- Demonstrates a significant contribution to Australian biosecurity in the areas of research, industry achievement, professional leadership or service.
See the 2021 winner for this category.
The Dr Kim Ritman Award for Science and Innovation recognises outstanding ambassadors for science and innovation.
Criteria:
- An individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the maintenance of our plant health status, including preparedness and response to plant health issues such as incursions of emergency plant pests.
- Designs or leads the development of new technology or approaches to assist in the detection and/or management of biosecurity risks.
- Develops and/or implements an innovation that has strengthened our biosecurity systems for managing the risk that exotic plant pests and diseases pose to Australia.
- Develops, promotes and leads efforts to strengthen scientific capacity and increase capability across the biosecurity system, both domestically and internationally.
See the 2021 winner for this category.
Australian primary producers, including individuals and organisations can be nominated. This comprises all forms of Australian farming, including large commercial operations, new and emerging niche industries, operators and hobby-level farmers.
Criteria:
- Demonstrates a sound understanding of the 6 essentials of farm biosecurity:
- Farm inputs
- People, vehicles and equipment
- Production practices
- Feral animals and weeds
- Farm outputs
- Train, plan and record.
- Applies biosecurity practices relevant to their property/properties.
- Carries out biosecurity activities as best-practice preventative measures, rather than in response to specific threats.
- Shows evidence of their biosecurity activities. For example, through planning, records, procedures.
- Advocates for proactive on-farm biosecurity practices among their peers.
See the 2021 winner for this category.
We present this award jointly with Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia.
The Industry Award recognises individuals, groups or organisations that have demonstrated a significant contribution to maintaining Australia’s biosecurity integrity.
Criteria:
- Designs, implements and/or leads biosecurity reform initiatives within their organisation and/or industry sector to support Australia’s biosecurity integrity.
- Demonstrates significant biosecurity integrity and raises biosecurity awareness within their operations and/or industry sector.
- Collaboratively works with the department to manage biosecurity risk.
- Identifies, reports and/or leads the management of a disease outbreak or pest incursion.
- Reports suspicious activities that may be of biosecurity concern.
- Makes an outstanding contribution to protecting or maintaining animal or plant health.
- Raises awareness of Australia’s biosecurity requirements offshore.
See the 2021 winner for this category.
The Government Award recognises individuals, groups or organisations that have demonstrated a significant contribution to maintaining Australia’s biosecurity integrity.
Criteria:
- Designs, implements and/or leads biosecurity reform initiatives within their organisation and/or sector to support Australia’s biosecurity integrity.
- Demonstrates significant biosecurity integrity and raises biosecurity awareness within their operations and/or sector.
- Collaboratively works with the department to manage biosecurity risk.
- Identifies, reports and/or leads the management of a disease outbreak or pest incursion.
- Reports suspicious activities that may be of biosecurity concern.
- Makes an outstanding contribution to protecting or maintaining animal or plant health.
- Raises awareness of Australia’s biosecurity requirements offshore.
See the 2021 winner for this category.
The Environmental Biosecurity Award recognises individuals, groups or organisations that make a significant contribution to protecting our environment from biosecurity risks.
Criteria:
- Makes an exceptional contribution to reducing the risks posed to the natural environment and social amenity by new and emerging non-native pests, weeds and diseases including by helping prevent them from entering, emerging, establishing or spreading in Australia.
- Raises awareness and understanding of environmental biosecurity in their region/community or industry sector/state that has changed attitudes and behaviours in ways that reduce biosecurity risks to Australia’s environment. For example, promoted environmental biosecurity in schools/community groups; introduced environment focused work practices in an organisation or industry sector; designed/implemented a government program to improve environmental biosecurity practices in their region/state.
- Develops or applies new knowledge, techniques or tools to improve environmental biosecurity outcomes through analysis, research, extension or innovation.
- Promotes Indigenous participation in activities to improve environmental biosecurity outcomes.
- Promotes networks and collaboration to more effectively respond to new and emerging environmental pests, weeds and diseases.
- Plays a significant role in preparing for and responding to environmental pest, weed or disease incursions.
The Community Award recognises individuals, groups or organisations that make a significant contribution to delivering biosecurity outcomes in the community.
Criteria:
- Designs, implements or leads biosecurity reform initiatives within their organisation and/or community to support Australia’s biosecurity integrity.
- Demonstrates significant biosecurity integrity and raises biosecurity awareness within their operations or community.
- Identifies, reports or leads the management of a disease outbreak or pest incursion.
- Reports suspicious activities that may be of biosecurity concern.
- Makes an outstanding contribution to protecting or maintaining animal or plant health.
- Raises awareness of Australia’s biosecurity requirements offshore.
The Education Award recognises individuals, groups or organisations that make a significant contribution to biosecurity education.
Criteria:
- Identifies as a school, curriculum or related initiative, including higher education facilities with biosecurity courses, curriculum or projects to raise community awareness.
- Develops biosecurity education approaches during the school year.
- Includes biosecurity related activities in their curriculum.
- Establishes communication links with state or territory governments on biosecurity matters.
- Demonstrates commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in the biosecurity space.
Past recipients
Past winners include:
- industry leaders in biosecurity
- long-serving biosecurity officials
- groups and individuals who managed significant pest and disease detections.
Their stories show how important biosecurity is and why we must all do our part.
Learn more about our past Australian Biosecurity Award recipients.
Other science awards
We also present the Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. This is an annual competitive grants program.
The Science Awards partners with CSIRO to present the CSIRO Biosecurity Digital Innovation Award (co-sponsored by the CSIRO).
This award funds entrepreneurial ideas that apply digital technologies and approaches to increase the efficiencies of the Australian biosecurity system. Covering prevention through to management including market access and traceability.
Find out more about this award, the other award partners and past grant recipients.