Reports

Report Topics

• Inspection efficiency

  With the reform of the biosecurity sector the Department is moving towards a risk-based approach to Biosecurity regulation. Outputs from these projects included tools for identifying risk levels of different import pathways and for developing sampling strategies for the inspection of various commodities.

• Post-border surveillance and area freedom

  Biosecurity surveillance is critical for early detection of invasive species incursions, for control and managing of disease outbreaks.

• Import risk analysis

  Import risk analysis investigates risk in terms of likelihood and consequences that would result from the import of one or more particular commodity from one or more particular regions. CEBRA has been involved in multiple projects which developed framework for how to assess risk of imported goods.

• Decision-making

  Managing Australia's biodiversity requires robust approaches to decision making, especially for investments into longer-term programs. CEBRA has reviewed and developed frameworks for supporting the decision-making process in biosecurity management.

• Expert judgement

  Obtaining expert opinion is a common approach if environmental data are poor or unattainable in biosecurity risk analysis. CEBRA has combined different strategies into a single comprehensive procedure which supports the iterative process of modelling of incursion risk.

• Risk communication

  Risk communication involves communication of probability information among parties involved in biosecurity management. As people have different educational backgrounds and experience in working with probability information communication of risk analysis outputs can lead to misunderstandings. CEBRA has examined how to best present data to minimize misunderstandings.

• Spatial modelling

  The increase in international trading and passenger volumes and in imports from a growing number of countries increases the risk of arrival and establishment of invasive species and diseases. Predicting the spread of potential pests or diseases using spatial modelling can assist in managing risk by implementing surveillance strategies and in mitigating the ecological and economic impacts by control/eradication programs.

• Citizen science

  Citizen science is about engaging community experts to participate in science-based activities in the context of biosecurity. Activities involve communication, detection and reporting of pests, weeds and diseases and monitoring.

• Biosecurity intelligence

  Intelligence gathering is the screening of different sources of information for signals of emerging issues, the fostering of foresight activities to help anticipate future problems and the analysis of social networks. Intelligence research develops and tests tools to assist governments and other managers to minimise the threat of future biosecurity incursions.

• Other

  CEBRA has also partaken in research in various other areas.