Farmers urge government to "go big" on biosecurity

NSW's peak farm body is urging the Federal Government to continue its crackdown on biosecurity issues following the sentencing of a woman last week who breached Australian biosecurity law.

Last Thursday, Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins released a statement announcing that a woman had been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for illegally importing morNSW's peak farm body is urging the Federal Government to continue its crackdown on biosecurity issues following the sentencing of a woman last week who breached Australian biosecurity law. e than 62,000 kilograms of fresh food from Thailand into Australia.

NSW Farmers Biosecurity Committee Chair Tony Hegarty said while it was good to see offenders prosecuted for breaching the nation’s biosecurity laws, penalties should be far tougher for those convicted of breaking critical border controls.

“This was no accident – we’re talking thousands and thousands of kilograms of fresh produce like fresh prawns and frog meat that have been seized, and rightly so,” Mr Hegarty said.

“We have no way of knowing what pests and diseases these materials could have been carrying, and the consequences of these products entering Australia’s food supply could well have been diabolical.

“In many cases, we’re talking billions of dollars in damages if an exotic pest or disease reaches our shores, and so these serious crimes must be met with serious penalties.”

Mr Hegarty said the Federal Government must continue to strengthen its biosecurity systems and controls in order to protect the nation from future illegal border breaches.

“Apparently, this was a sophisticated operation, and so it’s clear we need increasingly sophisticated and effective biosecurity controls if we are to truly protect our borders,” Mr Hegarty said.

“This means we need a biosecurity system that is properly funded, and biosecurity rules that are strongly enforced.

“If people are going to deliberately put our whole nation and its food supply at risk, then we should throw the book at them – they deserve it.”