Coordination of the National Environment and Community Biosecurity RD&E Strategy

Summary

The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS) has been appointed by the National Biosecurity Committee (NBC) to assess implementation progress made against the National Environment and Community Biosecurity Research, Development & Extension (NECBRD&E) Strategy 2016-2019, and to assist the Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC) prepare a new strategy for 2020 and beyond.

To achieve these outcomes, this project provides a dedicated national coordinator to assist CISS and the EIC undertake the assessment and prepare the new strategy.

Status

Completed

Objectives

The National Coordinator position supported by this project aims to:

  • assess what has been undertaken against the current strategy and identify the critical gaps,
  • develop a communication strategy and action plan to assist with the promotion and implementation of the strategy,
  • network and collaborate with key stakeholders in environmental biosecurity RD&E to prepare a new NECBRD&E strategy for implementation from 2020, and
  • work with CISS and the EIC on the transition to implementation of the new strategy.

Project Leader



Dr Matt Sheehan
Project Team

Dr Shauna Potter, Wild Matters

Project Partners
  • Office of the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, Department of Agriculture
  • Wild Matters

This project receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

Outputs

The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions will be running a series of online fora to enable participation in the revision of the strategy. Firstly, there will be a series of 2-hour, sector-based focus groups between the 9-11th February, 2021, to discuss biosecurity RD&E needs in each sector.

The discussion from these sessions will feed into a larger interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral workshop to be held on the 25th of February, 2021, when the revised strategy will be developed.

You are welcome to attend these online events

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August 2020 update:

During 2018-19, CISS was appointed by the National Biosecurity Committee (NBC) to assess implementation progress made against the National Environment and Community Biosecurity Research, Development & Extension (NECBRD&E) Strategy 2016-2019, and to assist the Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC) prepare a new strategy for 2020 and beyond. To achieve these outcomes, this project provides a dedicated national coordinator to assist CISS and the EIC undertake the assessment and prepare the new strategy.

February 2020:

  • Dr Matt Sheehan was appointed as the National Environment and Community Biosecurity Research, Development & Extension (NECBRD&E) Strategy Coordinator.
  • During late 2019, Matt commenced a gap analysis of the environmental and community biosecurity space. This is a critical step in determining what was achieved by the original 2016-19 Strategy and what tasks remain. It also allows an assessment of how RD&E priorities and capability have changed since the original strategy was endorsed in 2016. The Gap analysis process will continue throughout 2020.
  • A Communications Strategy and Action Plan has been drafted to inform how best to engage with stakeholders to develop the new forward RD&E Strategy.
  • So far, the coordinator has engaged with approximately 80 RD&E institutions national-wide to determine capability and progress in environmental and community biosecurity, through one-on-one interactions and a series of biosecurity roundtables and other events throughout Australia. This engagement process will continue throughout 2020.
  • The stakeholder engagement process informed by the Communication and Action Plan will culminate in a Draft R&DE Strategy.

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