Working together for environmental biosecurity

Environmental biosecurity requires collaboration between governments, industry, and the community. We work with a wide variety of people across Australia for good environmental biosecurity outcomes.

We aim to develop strong, vibrant environmental biosecurity networks. The Australian Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer (ACEBO) leads this collaboration.

International engagement

The ACEBO supports Australia’s membership of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). This international engagement allows us to understand and respond to global pressures, like climate change, that impact our biosecurity system.

First Nations engagement

The Office of the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer establishes strong partnerships with First Nations organisations. These strong partnerships ensure effective delivery of our programs and better outcomes for First Nations people. Read more about our First Nations environmental biosecurity.

National engagement

The ACEBO works closely with Australian government colleagues, including the Threatened Species Commissioner. The ACEBO is a member of the Environment and Invasives Committee which provides policy leadership on environmental biosecurity.

The ACEBO also works across all areas of biosecurity, liaising with operational as well as policy areas for better environmental outcomes.

Environmental Biosecurity Advisory Group

We work with national environmental biosecurity leaders through the Environmental Biosecurity Advisory Group (EBAG). This is a sub-group of the Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC).

EBAG provides an opportunity for non-government and community representatives to discuss environmental biosecurity issues. It provides advice to the EIC on environmental biosecurity policy and strategy.

Member organisations include the Invasive Species Council, National Farmers’ Federation and Wildlife Health Australia.

Environmental Biosecurity Interdepartmental Group

The Environmental Biosecurity Interdepartmental Group (EBIG) supports ongoing collaboration between the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. This ensures a unified federal government approach to environmental biosecurity.

EBIG helps strengthen the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity.

Environmental Biosecurity Roundtables

National Environmental Biosecurity Roundtables provide a unique opportunity for stakeholders from across Australia to collaborate in person on key environmental biosecurity topics. Summaries of previous Environmental Biosecurity Roundtables can be found in the reports below.

The next Environmental Biosecurity Roundtable will be held in Sydney on 11 November 2026.

This year's event is titled Science, Solutions and Social Licence: Strengthening environmental biosecurity through trust, shared values and partnerships.

The Roundtable will bring together leaders from government, industry, research, community and environmental sectors to share their experiences and practical approaches to building and maintaining social licence.

This is an invitation-only, in-person event. To request an invitation or ask a question, please email ebo@aff.gov.au.

Environmental biosecurity webinars

The Environmental Biosecurity Webinar series supports knowledge sharing and networking. Webinars cover a variety of topics. They attract a wide variety of participants from:

• all levels of government
• land and natural resources organisations
• researcher organisations
• community conservation groups
• plant and animal health bodies.

Watch the webinar recordings

Read more

• Discover our approach to research and innovation.
• Read the Three Chiefs Newsletter.