The new Plant Health Australia (PHA) Strategic Plan 2022 –27 was launched at the Member meeting held in late November. The Plan sets the company’s direction for the next five years, and considers the challenges and opportunities that may present in the near future as they work to improve Australia’s ability to identify and detect threats.
The three pillars of the new strategy are: responding effectively, strengthening partnerships and enhancing integration, focussing on the vision to be a valued leader of a strong, integrated plant biosecurity system.
Expanding pest ranges
A serious incursion of a major plant pest could cost our horticultural industries an estimated $29 billion-plus.
PHA CEO Sarah Corcoran said that factors such as changing supply chains, geopolitics, climate and land-use, along with merging of pest and disease regions, have also led to more expansive established pests ranges.
“These drivers and the cumulative effects of multiple incursions all impact the future of plant biosecurity and have been considered in formulating the new strategy,” she said.
“Our role as the trusted co-ordinator of the plant biosecurity system bringing expertise, knowledge and stakeholders together to generate solutions is already well established however making sure the system is future-orientated and solutions-focused adds a level of complexity.”
Plan highlights
- EPPRD commitment: a continuing commitment to the Emergency Plant Pest Deed (EPPRD), along with stakeholder liaison around other national arrangements focusing on fit-for-purpose national response arrangements and capability.
- establishing new relationships through cohesive member, supply chain and science and technology networks, to increase the number of industry and partner programs. PHA will also work to increase an understanding of industry adoption of biosecurity practices, and the benefits of partnered industry communication, extension and training.
- improving the ability to identify and detect biosecurity threats remains a key priority, in particular the use of innovative technologies and approaches. Focus areas will be enhancing national identification and detection capability, increasing knowledge brokering and engagement initiatives with the community.
Download a copy of the PHA Strategic Plan 2022-27 here.
2021 Annual Report
Plant Health Australia’s 2021 Annual Report has also been released, highlighting PHA’s key achievements against key performance indicators in co-ordinating and strengthening Australia’s biosecurity system.
The report is available to download now from the PHA website here.
