Post Entry Quarantine Facility

Managing Australia's biosecurity risks.

DAFF – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – is responsible for the management of biosecurity risks to Australia multi-billion dollar agricultural industries. The Quarantine Act, 1908 (Cth) (the Quarantine Act) sets out legislation controlling the importation of goods, animals and plants and empowers quarantine officers to enforce quarantine compliance.

Australia’s quarantine strategy includes offshore verification of the pest and disease status of goods entering Australia, and compliance to their post-entry procedures. For imports of live animals and plants, periods of detention in post-entry quarantine (PEQ) facilities are important to protect their health status. This is due to the potential for the introduction of pests and diseases of quarantine concern resulting from their importation.

The purpose of biosecurity measures within a PEQ facility is to prevent the escape of pests and disease potentially present in the facility. DAFF are responsible for the management of such quarantine risks and the management of PEQ arrangements.

The existing PEQ facilities had lease expiring between 2010 & 2018, with no further opportunities for extension and the facilities being aged and deteriorated.

We were pleased to be engaged in development of the new bio secure FPEQ - Future Post Entry Quarantine Facilities – to support the requirements for Commonwealth PEQ arrangements. This will play a key role in managing the risk of pest and disease to Australia’s $42 billion agriculture industries, it’s unique environment, native flora and fauna, tourism industries and lifestyle. At the same time, continuing PEQ arrangements will allow stakeholders to continue to access new and improved genetics where these can be imported in a quarantine compliant manner.

We have developed quality resources which assist in identifying key regulatory risks and constraints, taking the project towards its smooth completion.