Opening up Australia comes with serious biosecurity risk

Government officials have been making plans for the unwanted arrival of the devastating disease.

To listen to the experts, it is not if it gets in, it is a matter of when.

A national biosecurity conference has heard the opening the borders again to visitors after COVID-19 pandemic closures, took biosecurity risks to the top the agenda again.

ASF is chief among a host of pest and diseases which threaten Australia's $58.9 billion agriculture, forestry and fisheries export industries.

A scientific testing program has been developed to recruit more reliable detector dogs.

An app using artificial intelligence has been invented by the CSIRO to identify the hungry brown marmorated stink bugs which can look like native bugs to the untrained eye.

The government is looking into environmental DNA technology which can be used to detect pests, parasites, and diseases in a single drop of water or a grain of soil.

These are just some of the ideas being developed to reinforce Australia's border security.

The government's chief biosecurity official, Andrew Tongue, said Australia is experiencing more pest and disease pressure "than we have ever seen".

Mr Tongue, the Agriculture Department deputy secretary for biosecurity and compliance, said Australia was once "a very long way from the world".

"Today we are connected to every part of the globe," he said.

One of the main reasons why Australian food is in high demand overseas is because of its reputation as a clean, green country.

The island nation has very few major pests and diseases which means exporters can gain access to markets around the world.

Australia might not be so lucky for long.

Mr Tongue said technology was changing rapidly and biosecurity teams had access to better tools.

But he again warned of Australia's 10,000 kilometres of largely unpopulated northern coastline.

Australia is spending a billion dollars trying to keep diseases like African Swine Fever out but now it is knocking on our door having reached Papua New Guinea after decimating herds across the world.

China is estimated to have lost about half of its national pig herd from its 2018 levels.

Mr Tongue said ASF was just four kilometres from Australia.

"If it was to come in we would have to contemplate killing four million farm pigs and go after an untold number of feral pigs to try and contain in," he said.

Hence the trials with drones to track feral pig populations.

Biosecurity officials said the risks could not be reduced to zero.

As the national border defences are shored up, a national biosecurity is strategy is being developed.

Mr Tongue said Australia had accelerated its efforts to forge closer biosecurity arrangements with its near neighbours.

"It will help take pressure off our borders," he said.

The Biosecurity Innovation Program is open to the Australian community, innovators, research institutes, start-ups, and industry.

Submit your idea to https://awe.brightidea.com/biosecurity2021.

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