- The Crisafulli Government is delivering stronger biosecurity measures to protect southern Queensland’s agriculture, environment and way of life.
- 40 new, additional officers are on the job across the state.
- Recruitment is delivering Crisafulli Government’s significant election commitment to boost the biosecurity frontline by 100 this term of government.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a better lifestyle through a stronger economy after a decade of decline under Labor, that saw biosecurity protections eroded.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering stronger biosecurity across southern Queensland, with 15 new frontline officers recruited as part of an election commitment to reinstate biosecurity capability eroded under Labor’s decade of decline.
It’s just one way the Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for Queensland’s future and growing the value of primary industries production to $30 billion by 2030.
The officers are stationed in 7 locations across the south from Charleville to Kingaroy and Nambour.
The forty new frontline officers deployed across the state play a critical role in identifying and tackling plant and animal pests and diseases to better protect Queensland’s way of life, human health, economy and environment from biosecurity risks, and is critical to the management of all biosecurity threats.
During Labor’s decade of decline, the biosecurity workforce between 2015 and 2022 was reduced by more than 20%, and the State’s northern most biosecurity line of defence was closed.
The Crisafulli Government has committed to beefing up biosecurity with $50 million to hire 100 officers this term of government.
Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett said the new recruits are based in biosecurity hot spots with roles spanning animal biosecurity, plant biosecurity, and invasive species.
“Strong biosecurity measures underpin profitable primary production – when we improve our biosecurity, we also protect productivity which moves us closer to our goal of primary production output of $30 billion by 2030,” Minister Perrett said.
“Primary producers deserve to have confidence Queensland has the biosecurity capacity to protect and retain current national and international market access.
“We committed to boosting prevention and preparedness resources to combat increasing biosecurity risks and the Crisafulli Government is delivering on its promise with boots on the ground” he said.
Member for Lockyer Jim McDonald said the addition of 15 new staff to the southern region is a welcome boost to local ranks.
“These biosecurity officers play an important role in our community, undertaking surveillance, compliance, enforcement, education and stakeholder engagement activities to ensure the Lockyer is protected from animal and plant diseases and invasive pests and weeds,” Mr McDonald said.
“My community is already feeling the benefits of these officers being embedded in the region, protecting our agricultural production, environment and way of life,” he said.
