Friday, 12 August 2022 15:55

Trans-Tasman ag ministers zoom in on biosecurity

Written by  Staff Reporters
New Zealand Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor met with his Australian counterpart Murray Watt over conference call yesterday. New Zealand Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor met with his Australian counterpart Murray Watt over conference call yesterday.

When New Zealand’s Agriculture, Biosecurity and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor met with his new Australian counterpart yesterday, the subject of biosecurity was top of their agenda.

Australia’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Murray Watt took over the role from David Littleproud in June after Australia’s Labor Party won the 2022 election.

On a conference call yesterday, O’Connor and Watt focused particularly on foot and mouth disease (FMD).

O’Connor said greater cooperation was integral to reducing biosecurity risks in the Trans-Tasman region as threats from FMD and fruit fly loom over Australasia.

“I am very pleased to have discussed joint efforts to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities with Minister Watt today and evolve our biosecurity interventions, so we stay in step with each other,” he said.

“We continue to work together on a range of biosecurity initiatives, such as increasing our intelligence capacity to ensure our biosecurity systems are world’s best.”

Watt said biosecurity is a central component of Australia’s relationship with New Zealand amid a range of risks held in common, especially the recent FMD outbreak in Indonesia.

“Minister O’Connor and I had a very good meeting and reaffirmed our commitment to maintaining stringent arrangements to protect our countries’ respective biosecurity status’,” Watt said.

He said the pair discussed ongoing work by senior biosecurity officials in both countries to synchronise approaches where it’s possible.

“Both countries are signatories to the International Animal Health Emergency Reserve, which would afford us additional human resources in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak, allowing for faster control and increased chances of eradication,” Watt said.

More like this

Feds support live animal exports

Federated Farmers have reiterated their support for the coalition Government to abolish the present ban on the live export of animals.

Live exports battle

As the coalition Government mulls new regulations to reinstate the export of live animals, debate is heating up between supporters and opponents.

Crazy

OPINION: Your canine crusader was truly impressed by the almost unanimous support given by politicians of all stripes in Parliament to the recent passing of legislation for the NZ/EU free trade deal.

Featured

Farmers urged not to be complacent about TB

New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.

Editorial: Making wool great again

OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.

National

Machinery & Products

Farmer-led group buys Novag

While the name and technology remain unchanged and new machines will continue to carry the Novag name, all the assets,…

Buhler name to go

Shareholders at a special meeting have approved a proposed deal that will see Buhler Industries, the publicly traded Versatile and…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Make it 1000%!

OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…

Own goal

OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter