Plant biosecurity R,D&E is conducted by a wide range of organisations across Australia. Previously there was no overarching framework to coordinate the agricultural research being carried out in Australia. Agricultural Ministers endorsed the National Primary Industries R,D&E Framework and in 2013, the National Plant Biosecurity R,D&E Strategy was developed and endorsed. This strategy is one of 22 sector specific and cross-sectoral strategies that have been developed under the framework. Oversight of these strategies is through the Agriculture Senior Officials Committee. The plant biosecurity strategy aims to better harmonise the roles of the organisations involved in R,D&E related to plant biosecurity, ensuring that all stakeholders work together to maximise benefits of R,D&E for Australia.
A strategy implementation committee was formed in 2014 to implement the strategy. The committee includes representatives from the Commonwealth, both the policy and research arms of state jurisdictions, research and development corporations, CSIRO, the Council of Rural RDCs, the Plant Biosecurity CRC and Plant Health Australia.
As a part of implementing the strategy, a forum on plant biosecurity priorities was held in July 2016 and two targeted workshops have been run. The first of these workshops covered R,D&E needs for preparedness for whiteflies and their transmitted viruses and the second was targeted policy makers to discuss the policy opportunities and risks of new technology in diagnostics R&D. The outcomes of these workshops will be presented in this session.