Emerging threats to biosecurity in Australasia: the need for an integrated management strategy

Abstract

The intersection of numerous global megatrends is driving the emergence of significantly more complex biosecurity challenges in Australasia. Additional legislative and management frameworks, coupled with dedicated funding sources, will be required to protect the region’s native biodiversity and the human activities that depend on it. This review explores how more comprehensive biosecurity initiatives might be implemented through the adoption of robust pre-border and border quarantine practices, the use of emerging technologies to improve border and post-border biosurveillance and monitoring, and the integration of multiple social, economic and ecological objectives into a more holistic management paradigm. This review also discusses the need for a multidisciplinary approach to biosecurity, driven by improved co-operation across government agencies, industry, community and scientific stakeholders, in order to safeguard the unique biological heritage of the Australasia region.