CEBRA’s high-level statistical expertise is being used to improve the effectiveness of biosecurity compliance monitoring at the border.
Audits to monitor compliance with biosecurity regulations are an important part of protecting Australia’s borders against harmful pests and diseases. Auditing aims to ensure that operators comply with biosecurity risk management requirements when they undertake risk mitigation activities or other biosecurity-related activities on behalf of the regulator under specific agreements. The goal is to be confident that arrangements are effective in preventing the entry of material that may present a biosecurity risk. Currently, no formal quantitative process to direct resources to areas of highest biosecurity risk is in place. It is therefore unclear if departmental resources are being allocated where they are needed for the audit system to be effective.
This project will produce a quantitative model to enable the department to prioritise audit activities. It will apply a risk-based approach to audits that links with current CEBRA project Quantitative model for assurance-based auditing of approved arrangements. This project’s objective will be to strengthen the risk-based approach and strengthen confidence that the department’s audit resources are used effectively to detect, deter and disrupt activities which pose the highest risk to the department and the Australian community.
CEBRA Project Leader: Andrew Robinson