National Biosecurity Committee

We manage a national, strategic approach to biosecurity in Australia. This includes the effect of pests and diseases on our agriculture, environment, and on community wellbeing.

To support our goals, we:

  • promote a coordinated and consistent approach to biosecurity between Australian governments
  • ensure we target risks while still supporting trade and the movement of goods, animals and vessels around Australia
  • provide advice to the Agriculture Senior Officials Committee

We were established under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity (IGAB). Read more about the role and members of the National Biosecurity Committee (NBC).

Further information

The NBC has overseen the development of:

National biosecurity reform

Alongside our continued commitment to the National Biosecurity Strategy (NBS), we have been consulting on national biosecurity reforms. Feedback from this process is informing actions to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity system in response to evolving risks and challenges. 

Australia’s Agriculture Ministers released a joint statement on the reforms on 30 April 2026.

The reforms will make sure our system is ready to respond to future risks and challenges. Our risks are evolving due to things like changes to trade and traveller patterns, rising costs and complexity in managing incursions, and changing economic, environmental and geopolitical conditions.

The proposed reforms aim to better manage biosecurity risks while supporting trade. They build on work already underway in 2026 which will:

  • continue to deliver actions in the 2024-26 NBS Action Plan
  • make national biosecurity governance advisory groups more effective
  • improve readiness for emergencies including by creating a national preparedness framework
  • streamline emergency arrangements governance
  • update national research and innovation priorities
  • develop a national investment priorities framework to align funding and resources with risk.

We now want to hear views on which of the proposed reforms will best strengthen our biosecurity system, and in which order we should implement them.

Consultation

We recently consulted on the prioritisation of reforms.

Input was received from a broad range of stakeholders, including industry, producers, state and territory governments, researchers, environmental and community organisations, First Nations representatives, and other delivery partners across the biosecurity system.

A summary of feedback and submissions will be published on the National Biosecurity Reform Have Your Say page.

Feedback from this consultation is informing the development of a reform roadmap for consideration by Agriculture Ministers later this year. The roadmap will help set clear national priorities, strengthen coordination across governments and stakeholders, and guide future action to improve the national biosecurity system.

Once the roadmap is delivered, we will continue consultation on individual projects as required throughout the delivery of the reforms.