Modernising Tasmania’s biosecurity legislative framework is integral to the Hodgman Liberal Government’s commitment to grow Tasmania’s world-class primary industries while protecting our natural environment.
Today I released for public comment the Future Direction for a New Contemporary Biosecurity Legislative Framework, which outlines the elements of a proposed new Biosecurity Act.
This single contemporary Biosecurity Act will replace seven existing Acts and provide an efficient and effective way to regulate biosecurity into the future.
The Government continues to deliver on our commitment to strengthen Tasmania’s unique island biosecurity status through forming Biosecurity Tasmania as a more integrated organisation and investing an additional $6.9 million into frontline biosecurity services and critical infrastructure.
We doubled the biosecurity detector dog teams to 12 teams significantly increasing capacity across Tasmanian airports, ports and mail centres, and last week I launched the $500,000 joint investment in a truck wash at Powranna.
Good biosecurity is about protecting our community, economy, industries and environment from the negative impacts of pest and disease.
Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility and the proposed new legislation reflects this principle.
This new Act is a critical part of ensuring our biosecurity system reflects the 21st century global marketplace with increasing trade and visitors to our state and the changing nature of biosecurity risks to Tasmania.
The Future Directions statement is open for comment until December 23, 2016, and there will also be wide consultation when the draft legislation is released early in 2017. This follows the community consultation process on a Position Paper held earlier this year.
The new Act will replace the Plant Quarantine Act 1997, Animal Health Act 1995, Seeds Act 1985, Weed Management Act 1999, Vermin Control Act 2000, Animal (Brands and Movement) Act 1984, and Animal Farming (Registration) Act 1994.
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