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Inspector-General’s report reveals alarming enforcement failures inside Australia’s biosecurity system

The Invasive Species Council is calling for a full investigation of allegations of serious enforcement failings inside Australia’s federal biosecurity agency, reported in a new review by the Inspector-General of Biosecurity.

The review – assessing the regulatory maturity of the agency – draws on confidential staff surveys and uncovers major concerns about weak, inconsistent and politicised enforcement.

Staff surveyed for the review highlight:

  • concerns about a lack of consequence for repeat offenders and inconsistent enforcement due to perceived political pressure
  • a lack of visibility on noncompliance reporting once a report is submitted
  • gaps in addressing persistent issues such as illegal imports or loopholes in cargo and mail pathways
  • a lack of follow-up on reported noncompliance
  • leniency in addressing noncompliance from high-profile businesses

Dr Carol Booth, Policy Director at the Invasive Species Council, said:

‘We are utterly shocked by the report’s findings. When biosecurity staff themselves are reporting an alleged lack of consequence for repeat offenders and inconsistent enforcement reportedly due to political pressure, that should set off alarm bells at the highest levels of government.

‘Staff have also raised gaps around illegal imports and loopholes in cargo and mail pathways, a lack of follow-up on non-compliance, and alleged leniency towards high-profile businesses. These are deeply troubling revelations.

‘Based on what biosecurity officers are telling the Inspector-General, the agency appears to have major enforcement problems. We need a full and urgent investigation into these allegations.

‘Important questions must be answered – Why are repeat offenders allegedly not being prosecuted? Why are high-profile businesses getting favoured treatment? Why is non-compliance being ignored? Why are loopholes left unaddressed?

‘These failures put Australia at enormous risk. Rigorous enforcement is the backbone of biosecurity – especially when there are strong commercial incentives for businesses to cut corners or break the law.

‘We are also alarmed by staff concerns about political and industry influence on biosecurity decision-making. Biosecurity decisions must be made impartially – based solely on the risk to Australia’s environment, economy and way of life – not on who is applying pressure behind the scenes.

‘Any political or industry influence over biosecurity decisions is dangerous when we are already battling invasive species that cause more extinctions in Australia than any other threat. If enforcement is weakened or priorities are distorted, it opens the door to new invaders and diseases.

‘Biosecurity officers have a responsibility to protect Australia, and they should never be put in a position where political considerations override the science. The government must urgently investigate these claims.

‘Biosecurity only works when the rules are enforced, every time, with no fear or favour.’

Media inquiries: (02) 8006 5004

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    Dear Project Team,

    [YOUR PERSONALISED MESSAGE WILL APPEAR HERE.] 

    I support the amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan to allow our incredible National Parks staff to use aerial shooting as one method to rapidly reduce feral horse numbers. I want to see feral horse numbers urgently reduced in order to save the national park and our native wildlife that live there.

    The current approach is not solving the problem. Feral horse numbers have rapidly increased in Kosciuszko National Park to around 18,000, a 30% jump in just the past 2 years. With the population so high, thousands of feral horses need to be removed annually to reduce numbers and stop our National Park becoming a horse paddock. Aerial shooting, undertaken humanely and safely by professionals using standard protocols, is the only way this can happen.

    The government’s own management plan for feral horses states that ‘if undertaken in accordance with best practice, aerial shooting can have the lowest negative animal welfare impacts of all lethal control methods’.

    This humane and effective practice is already used across Australia to manage hundreds of thousands of feral animals like horses, deer, pigs, and goats.

    Trapping and rehoming of feral horses has been used in Kosciuszko National Park for well over a decade but has consistently failed to reduce the population, has delayed meaningful action and is expensive. There are too many feral horses in the Alps and not enough demand for rehoming for it to be relied upon for the reduction of the population.

    Fertility control as a management tool is only effective for a small, geographically isolated, and accessible population of feral horses where the management outcome sought is to maintain the population at its current size. It is not a viable option to reduce the large and growing feral horse population in the vast and rugged terrain of Kosciuszko National Park.

    Feral horses are trashing and trampling our sensitive alpine ecosystems and streams, causing the decline and extinction of native animals. The federal government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee has stated that feral horses ‘may be the crucial factor that causes final extinction’ for 12 alpine species.

    I recognise the sad reality that urgent and humane measures are necessary to urgently remove the horses or they will destroy the Snowies and the native wildlife that call the mountains home. I support a healthy national park where native species like the Corroboree Frog and Mountain Pygmy Possum can thrive.

    Kind regards,
    [Your name]
    [Your email address]
    [Your postcode]


    Dear Project Team,

    [YOUR PERSONALISED MESSAGE WILL APPEAR HERE.] 

    I support the amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan to allow our incredible National Parks staff to use aerial shooting as one method to rapidly reduce feral horse numbers. I want to see feral horse numbers urgently reduced in order to save the national park and our native wildlife that live there.

    The current approach is not solving the problem. Feral horse numbers have rapidly increased in Kosciuszko National Park to around 18,000, a 30% jump in just the past 2 years. With the population so high, thousands of feral horses need to be removed annually to reduce numbers and stop our National Park becoming a horse paddock. Aerial shooting, undertaken humanely and safely by professionals using standard protocols, is the only way this can happen.

    The government’s own management plan for feral horses states that ‘if undertaken in accordance with best practice, aerial shooting can have the lowest negative animal welfare impacts of all lethal control methods’.

    This humane and effective practice is already used across Australia to manage hundreds of thousands of feral animals like horses, deer, pigs, and goats.

    Trapping and rehoming of feral horses has been used in Kosciuszko National Park for well over a decade but has consistently failed to reduce the population, has delayed meaningful action and is expensive. There are too many feral horses in the Alps and not enough demand for rehoming for it to be relied upon for the reduction of the population.

    Fertility control as a management tool is only effective for a small, geographically isolated, and accessible population of feral horses where the management outcome sought is to maintain the population at its current size. It is not a viable option to reduce the large and growing feral horse population in the vast and rugged terrain of Kosciuszko National Park.

    Feral horses are trashing and trampling our sensitive alpine ecosystems and streams, causing the decline and extinction of native animals. The federal government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee has stated that feral horses ‘may be the crucial factor that causes final extinction’ for 12 alpine species.

    I recognise the sad reality that urgent and humane measures are necessary to urgently remove the horses or they will destroy the Snowies and the native wildlife that call the mountains home. I support a healthy national park where native species like the Corroboree Frog and Mountain Pygmy Possum can thrive.

    Kind regards,
    [Your name]
    [Your email address]
    [Your postcode]