2017, Volume 20, Paper 8

ISSN: 1442-6951

Biosecurity in Australia: An Assessment of the Current Funding Approach

Ruth Ahchow – Former postgraduate student, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville; and Director, Economics, Regulation and Policy, EY, Melbourne.

Garry Griffith – Principal Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville; and Professorial Research Fellow, UNE Business School, University of New England, Armidale.

Susan Hester – Senior Research Fellow, UNE Business School, University of New England, Armidale; and Chief Investigator, Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville. *

* This is a revised version of a Minor Project report prepared by Ruth Ahchow for her Masters in Agribusiness at the University of Melbourne. Garry Griffith and Susan Hester supervised this project.

Abstract

Australian governments and industries have limited resources to tackle established pests and diseases and to prevent new incursions. As the biosecurity threats to Australia’s economy, environment and society change, it is important that the funding and governance of responses are appropriately aligned and resourced. Key decisions concern which biosecurity threats will receive funding, how much funding they will receive, and who will be responsible for providing the funding. In this paper we review the current national approach to biosecurity funding, and a high level assessment is made against economic and public policy principles for allocation of resources to biosecurity. The review finds that the primary assessment for determining funding of national biosecurity response is benefit-cost analysis. However, benefit-cost analysis is often restricted to providing a net benefit of responding to one plant or animal pest or disease. The conclusion is that an approach which considers a portfolio of pests and diseases may be more appropriate in a limited resource environment.

Key words: biosecurity, funding, benefit cost analysis, public policy.

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