20 October 2025
The draft report proposes removing the requirement for devitalisation on imported cut flowers.
We are issuing the draft report for a public consultation period, closing on 19 December 2025.
We invite you to have your say on the draft report. We will consider all stakeholder comments received during the consultation period in preparing a final report.
Australia allows the importation of fresh cut flowers and foliage from permitted countries for time-limited decorative purposes, subject to conditions. Our import conditions require cut flower species that have the potential to be propagated from the stem to undergo devitalisation prior to export. Devitalisation is a treatment that makes plant material incapable of propagation.
We are reviewing the devitalisation requirements for imported fresh cut flowers that are considered propagable, from all permitted countries. This is to ensure our policy is scientifically justified and fit-for-purpose. This review is part of the pest risk analysis (PRA) for the cut flower and foliage pathway we started in 2018. This PRA package assesses biosecurity risks associated with imported cut flowers in accordance with the Biosecurity Act 2015, to ensure import measures provide an Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP).
In the draft report, we evaluated evidence on whether cut flowers, which are imported to be used for decorative purposes, are being propagated. This is called diversion from intended use, or DFIU. We then assessed the unrestricted biosecurity risks (i.e. without the use of devitalisation) associated with the occurrence of DFIU.
We concluded that unrestricted biosecurity risks associated with DFIU of imported cut flowers to propagation are ‘negligible’ to ‘very low’ for personal DFIU and ‘negligible’ for commercial DFIU. This achieves Australia’s ALOP. We also concluded that the success of personal DFIU in producing a healthy plant that could be a host to any exotic pathogens present in the cut flower is likely limited. As such, measures are not required to manage the biosecurity risk associated with DFIU. So, we propose removing the existing requirement for devitalisation of select imported fresh cut flowers.
Australia must meet our international obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This means our risk management measures must be scientifically justified, only be applied to the extent necessary and not unnecessarily restrict trade. Australia’s current devitalisation requirements for imported cut flowers do not meet these obligations.
DFIU of any imported good potentially increases the biosecurity risks associated with the good and is not permitted by the department. We have powers under the Biosecurity Act 2015 to investigate suspected DFIU, undertake an assessment of the biosecurity risk, and take action where required. Action can include education and warnings, significant fines, revocation of permits and/or other approvals from us, and criminal prosecution or civil litigation.
The draft report and more information about the risk analysis process is available on our website.
We invite stakeholders interested in receiving information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses to subscribe via our online subscription service. By subscribing to ‘Biosecurity Risk Analysis Plant’, you will receive Biosecurity Advice notices and other notifications relating to plant biosecurity policy, including this review.
Dr Peter Finnin
First Assistant Secretary
Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090 (when prompted select option 1, then option 1)
Email: imports@aff.gov.au