The Invasive Species Council commends the development of the updated draft Biosecurity and Food Safety strategy 2022-2030 and the broad outcomes that are articulated within it.
While we can understand the rationale of consolidating biosecurity with food safety into one strategy and understand the relation and influence between them, it is our view that this removes the clear and targeted focus on biosecurity that the previous strategy communicated effectively. It is our view that biosecurity should remain separate, to clearly direct and guide the actions addressing two distinct and challenging areas.
This submission provides both general feedback about the strategy, as well as specific recommendations that we see could improve its usability and function such as detail on activities and elevation of environmental biosecurity. Since the draft strategy is intended to replace the previous NSW Biosecurity Strategy 2013-2021, we have used it as a baseline.