Burke orders major quarantine review

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke has ordered a wide-ranging review into whether the appropriate systems are in place to protect Australia's agricultural sector from disease.
An independent panel, to be headed by former Environment Department secretary Roger Beale, will assess the nation's quarantine and biosecurity systems after the horse flu outbreak last year.

Horse racing in NSW and south-east Queensland came to a standstill when equine influenza was detected last August leading to widespread quarantining and restriction of horse movements in eastern Australia.
The first case of horse flu in Australia was detected in a thoroughbred stallion at Sydney's Eastern Creek quarantine facility on August 23. The horse had travelled from the northern hemisphere and was awaiting release.
The broad review of quarantine procedures will run separately but concurrently, to an inquiry into the outbreak being conducted by former High Court justice Ian Callinan.
Mr Burke told parliament the outbreak had showed how important it was for Australia's biosecurity procedures to be up to scratch.
"We're in a world of increased international movements and in so many ways the world itself is getting smaller, which has particular challenges for our biosecurity system," he said.
"(And) in an age of climate change we also have the problem of the migration of pets and weeds and the further biosecurity problems that come with that.
"We need to maintain our biodiversity, protect public health and ensure our primary industries aren't further burdened by pests and diseases, whether it be the outbreaks of foot and mouth in the United Kingdom, avian influenza throughout many parts of the world or new diseases such as SARS."
The review will have wide terms of reference and look at a range of issues including the functions of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) and Biosecurity Australia, the scope and adequacy of current animal and plant quarantine systems, as well as the effectiveness of import and export inspection and certification procedures.
"I cannot begin to say how important it is to make sure we get our systems in place so that we can provide the maximum level of protection to be available through our quarantine and biosecurity processes," Mr Burke said.
The Beale review is due to report to Mr Burke by July 31, 2008.
The minister said any resulting changes to quarantine and biosecurity system would be part of the 2009 budget.