Weed Risk Assessment of Plant Imports to Australia: Policy and Process

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) is responsible for regulating plant importation into Australia. AQIS operates on the principle of managed risk. The objective is to protect Australia's agricultural industry and natural environment by managing the risks within an appropriately conservative quarantine framework, whilst still permitting desirable plant imports. In 1997 AQIS introduced a new system for screening new plant imports to reduce the levels of exotic weed pests entering Australia. A wide range of issues were considered when developing the policy on new plant imports, from obligations under international agreements, to the accuracy of risk assessment systems and the costs of administering them. This paper outlines the process for assessing proposed new plant imports which currently operates in Australia, and discusses the development of the policy underpinning the process.