Friday, 12 August 2022 15:55

Trans-Tasman ag ministers zoom in on biosecurity

Written by  Staff Reporters
New Zealand Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor met with his Australian counterpart Murray Watt over conference call yesterday. New Zealand Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor met with his Australian counterpart Murray Watt over conference call yesterday.

When New Zealand’s Agriculture, Biosecurity and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor met with his new Australian counterpart yesterday, the subject of biosecurity was top of their agenda.

Australia’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Murray Watt took over the role from David Littleproud in June after Australia’s Labor Party won the 2022 election.

On a conference call yesterday, O’Connor and Watt focused particularly on foot and mouth disease (FMD).

O’Connor said greater cooperation was integral to reducing biosecurity risks in the Trans-Tasman region as threats from FMD and fruit fly loom over Australasia.

“I am very pleased to have discussed joint efforts to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities with Minister Watt today and evolve our biosecurity interventions, so we stay in step with each other,” he said.

“We continue to work together on a range of biosecurity initiatives, such as increasing our intelligence capacity to ensure our biosecurity systems are world’s best.”

Watt said biosecurity is a central component of Australia’s relationship with New Zealand amid a range of risks held in common, especially the recent FMD outbreak in Indonesia.

“Minister O’Connor and I had a very good meeting and reaffirmed our commitment to maintaining stringent arrangements to protect our countries’ respective biosecurity status’,” Watt said.

He said the pair discussed ongoing work by senior biosecurity officials in both countries to synchronise approaches where it’s possible.

“Both countries are signatories to the International Animal Health Emergency Reserve, which would afford us additional human resources in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak, allowing for faster control and increased chances of eradication,” Watt said.

More like this

Out to pasture?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wonders if outgoing Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor will now call it a day on his 30-year long political career.

Putin's fault?

OPINION: The Hound is astounded at the sheer audacity and bottle of (outgoing?) Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor and his ability to bury his head in the sand.

Featured

Hole-in-one a lucky shot overseas

A calf born at a Waikato Holstein Friesian stud has stunned her owner with her incredibly high credentials – surpassing his hope that she was going to be one out of the box.

McClay to visit India

Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay plans to visit India in the next fortnight, his first trade mission since the formation of the Government.

Norco bounces back from flood

Australia's largest dairy co-operative Norco is back making ice cream, 18 months after a catastrophic flood destroyed its manufacturing plant.

Political turmoil hits Dutch farm buy-out scheme

While New Zealand seems to be treading water on the subject of pricing emissions and the future of He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN), pending a new government, the Netherlands has been clearer on its proposed farm buy-out scheme, as part of its effort to reduce nitrogen emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

National

Hoggard 'really excited'

Incoming Minister for Food Safety and Biosecurity Andrew Hoggard says he’s “really excited” to get those roles.

Prevention better than cure

The New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) is calling on animal owners to work with their veterinarian to…

Machinery & Products

Simple, practical hay rakes

Grassland specialists Kuhn has extended its Gyrorake offering with the addition of the GA 8731+ and GA 9531+ models.

Bucket grab gets it done!

Swedish implement manufacturer Quicke is expanding its Powergrab series with two new models – designed for silage handling with front-end,…

» The RNG Weather Report

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Sheepish

OPINION: This old mutt understands that a number of high profile sheep studs are unhappy with Beef+ Lamb Genetics’ recent…

Still bludging!

OPINION: Your canine crusader is astounded at the sheer cojones of webbased media company Newsroom and its wont to cadge…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter