The Australia and New Zealand Biosecurity Cooperation 6 November 2019 Meeting
The Australian and New Zealand Biosecurity Cooperation (ANZBC) was established in 1999 under the Australia–New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement.
The ANZBC met on 6 November 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand for their annual meeting that also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the cooperation to manage biosecurity risks, and to facilitate trade and travel between our two countries.
This alliance has resulted in international standards that benefit the producers of both nations. It has contributed to developing transparent and fair rules in multilateral organisations, such as the World Organisation of Animal Health and International Plant Protection Convention.
Australia and New Zealand have also developed arrangements for the International Animal Health Emergency Reserve Agreement, in which countries can share personnel to assist with an emergency animal disease response.
In 2017-18, New Zealand activated this agreement for the first time and 16 Australians were deployed to assist with the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis in New Zealand. This provided much-needed surge capacity and extra expertise to the New Zealand response effort, as well as valuable first-hand experience for Australian vets.
Our countries continue to collaborate on current and emerging biosecurity risks from third countries. In the lead up to each annual brown marmorated sting bug (BMSB) season, Australia and New Zealand share intelligence and technical knowledge to prevent BMSBs establishing in either country. For example, the two countries work together in Europe to audit and educate off-shore treatment providers, to prevent BMSBs coming in through imports.
Facilitating trans-Tasman trade remains a priority, with progress made on rules for exports of fresh produce from Australia to New Zealand, and trade pathways for horses and ornamental fish. Opportunities for reopening the trade pathway for alpacas are also being considered.
Short -term secondments to improve the understanding of each other’s systems have been a key and successful part of the collaboration and sharing of knowledge between Australia and New Zealand agencies.
At the 6 November meeting, ANZBC members:
- Committed to developing innovative technology with a particular focus on managing biosecurity risks offshore.
- Noted the ground-breaking work undertaken by both countries to develop 3D auto detection algorithms to better detect risk goods in passenger baggage, mail and air cargo, and committed to continue this work.
- Discussed border clearance challenges being experienced by New Zealand fresh produce exporters and agreed next steps to address the issues, particularly the need to review pest lists.
- Agreed to a pilot project to share Post Entry Quarantine and molecular diagnostic capacities.
- Discussed emergency preparedness for the risk of African Swine Fever.
- Committed to further work to move biosecurity risk management offshore, for example by trialling remote screening capabilities, using 3D x-ray images taken offshore for inbound biosecurity risk assessments.
- Agreed to discuss a cooperative strategy to promote greater acceptance of irradiation as a treatment option for horticultural products in the Asian region.
- Noted the United Nations declared 2020 to be the International Year of Plant Health and discussed opportunities for Australia and New Zealand to host joint initiatives.
The 6th November marks 20 years of formal cooperation between Australia and New Zealand under the Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, with significant achievements during that time which will continue over the next 20 years.
A timeline of highlights achieved by the ANZBC over the last 20 years is attached.
The next ANZBC meeting will be held in Australia in late 2020.