13 September 2016
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft report for the review of biosecurity import requirements for fresh dragon fruit from Vietnam.
The draft report identifies pests that require risk management measures in order to achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection, where the risk is reduced to a very low level.
This draft review is being issued for a 60 calendar day stakeholder consultation period. Written comments and submissions are invited by 14 November 2016.
Biosecurity Advice 2016/13, of 20 April 2016, announced the formal commencement of a review of biosecurity import requirements to consider a proposal to import fresh dragon fruit from Vietnam.
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft report for the review of biosecurity import requirements for fresh dragon fruit from Vietnam. Stakeholders have until 14 November 2016 to provide written comments on the draft report.
The draft report identifies seven arthropod pests associated with fresh dragon fruit from Vietnam that will require risk management measures. These seven pests are three fruit flies and four mealybugs.
One species, Pacific mealybug, has been identified as a pest of regional concern for Western Australia. The proposed risk management measures take account of this regional difference.
The draft report proposes a range of risk management measures, combined with a system of operational procedures to ensure biosecurity standards are met. These measures are considered to reduce the risk posed by the seven quarantine pests and achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP). Additional information on ALOP can be found on the department’s website.
These proposed measures are consistent with Australia’s existing policy and comprise:
- visual inspection and, if detected, remedial action for mealybugs
- area freedom or fruit treatment (such as vapour heat treatment or irradiation). The use of irradiation is subject to approval by Food Standards Australia New Zealand to ensure that irradiated dragon fruit is safe for human consumption.
- a supporting operational system to maintain and verify the phytosanitary status of export consignments.
The draft report and information about the risk analysis process are available from the department’s website. Printed copies of the report are available, if required.
Comments on the draft report must be submitted by 14 November 2016.
Lodging a submission
There is no specific format for submissions, but they must be in writing, and identify the relevant technical biosecurity issues being raised with supporting evidence. Submissions should be received by the department within the stated comment period.
Submissions may be lodged in the following ways:
- the department’s website: using the online template
- email to plant@aff.gov.au
- mail to:
Plant Biosecurity
Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
Privacy
The department requests that, at a minimum, you provide your name and contact details with your submission. Please indicate if you do not wish to have personal information published with your submission or disclosed to third parties.
Any personal information collected by the department as part of your submission will be used and disclosed by the department for the purposes stated in the Biosecurity Advice. Your personal information will be used to enable the department to contact you about your submission and may be disclosed to specialists, other Commonwealth government agencies, State or Territory government agencies or foreign government departments. Unless you request otherwise, the department may publish your personal information on the department’s website.
The department will handle your personal information in a manner consistent with relevant laws, in particular the Privacy Act 1988. Your personal information will be used and stored consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles and as outlined in the department’s Privacy Policy (available on the department’s website).
Confidentiality
Subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, content of submissions may be made public, unless you state you want all or part of your submission to be treated as confidential. A claim for confidentiality must be justified and provided as an attachment, marked ‘Confidential’. ‘Confidential’ material will not be made public. The department reserves the right not to publish submissions.
No breach of confidence will occur if the department shares your submission with a third party referred to under ‘Privacy’ in seeking advice in response to your submission.
Intellectual property
Responsibility for compliance with Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in submissions rests with the author(s). In lodging a submission, you warrant you have not knowingly infringed any third party IPR. By lodging a submission, you grant the Commonwealth a permanent, irrevocable, royalty-free, world-wide, non-exclusive licence to use, copy, reproduce, adapt, communicate and exploit all or any of the material contained in the submission.
Dr Marion Healy
First Assistant Secretary
Plant Division
Contact: Deb Langford
Telephone: +61 2 6272 5094
Email: plant@aff.gov.au