These questions will help us understand which region, community and industry sectors are affected by the proposed new Regulation and the proposed amendments. 

The recommended option is to remake the existing regulation, ensuring ongoing compliance with the general biosecurity obligation (GBO) for managing contaminants in carriers. This option aligns with national standards, safeguards agricultural production, food safety, and market access, and avoids additional regulatory burdens. It is the most effective, practical and proportionate solution.

Allowing the regulation to lapse would increase the risk of contaminants entering agricultural systems, jeopardising animal health, food safety and market access, due to insufficient awareness and sole reliance on the GBO.

The recommended option is to allow the apiary distance rule to expire and remake the Asian honey bee restrictions. The apiary and queen bee distance rules are obsolete, un-enforceable and provide no biosecurity benefit in modern bee keeping practices. Removing these requirements reduces regulatory burden, supports equitable access to floral resources, aligns Queensland with national practice, and respects property rights.

Retaining the Asian honey bee provisions ensures continued protection against a significant invasive species threat. Removing these restrictions would greatly increase the risk of their establishment and spread in new areas, causing significant impacts on pollination services, honey production and agricultural industries.

The recommended option is to remake the existing statewide entry restrictions for biosecurity risk matter to protect against significant pest and disease incursions, to remove citrus canker and Cavendish-competent Panama disease tropical race 1 restrictions, and to amend the Mediterranean fruit fly carrier list, as provided in Attachment 6 of the Consultation paper.

If allowed to lapse, the lack of statewide entry restrictions would increase the risk of pest and disease incursions, leading to their spread, higher biosecurity and eradication costs, reduced agricultural productivity, and potential economic losses. This could result in higher consumer prices, restricted access to local produce, and threats to native plants and ecosystems.

The recommended option is to remake the provisions for the far northern pest biosecurity zone, to retain protection from far northern pests.

If allowed to lapse, key plantations would be at increased risk from far northern pests.

The recommended option is to remake the southern banana biosecurity zone (SBBZ), but allow for the expiry of the northern banana biosecurity zone (NBBZ). This option will allow for the continued protection of Queensland’s banana industry and reduce unnecessary regulatory burden on producers.

If the SBBZ is allowed to lapse, there is a risk of banana bunchy top disease spreading beyond the SBBZ. Industries within the SBBZ would face increased risk from this disease, potentially leading to reduced production and income losses.

The recommended option is to remake the grape phylloxera biosecurity zone regulation to maintain alignment with national regulations and protect Queensland’s wine grape and table grape industries.

If allowed to lapse, the grape industry would face exposure to a potential grape phylloxera incursion and damage to grape plants, and Queensland would not be aligned with the national regulation. Movement of phylloxera carriers into Queensland from infested states would be uncontrolled, significantly increasing the risk of pest introduction. This would compromise the viability of Queensland’s grape industries, disrupt interstate trade, and increase production costs due to stricter pest management requirements. Given the limited control and eradication options for phylloxera, maintaining the current biosecurity zone and movement restrictions is essential to protect Queensland’s grape production industries and broader public interests

The recommended option is to remake the papaya ringspot biosecurity zones to protect Queensland’s papaya and cucurbit industries, maintain market access by preventing incursions, and prevent the spread of papaya ringspot virus type P (PRSV-P).

If allowed to lapse, the industry will face greater risk of papaya ringspot virus spread, resulting in production losses.

The recommended option is to remake the sugar cane pest biosecurity zones 1-5, with a replacement of zone 6 with property specific declaration, to maintain protection of Queensland’s sugar cane industry.

If allowed to lapse, there would be an increased risk of pest and disease outbreaks leading to potential crop losses, higher pest management costs from the spread of pests like Fiji leaf gall virus, increased biosecurity response costs, and a potential loss of industry confidence.

The recommended option is to remake the polyphagous shot-hole borer biosecurity zone to protect Queensland’s urban amenity trees, native vegetation, plantation forestry, and fruit and nut tree crop industries.

The recommended option is to remake hive marking provisions due to the public (for recreational apiarists) and private (for commercial apiarists) benefit of protecting honey production worth $75 million and pollination of $3 billion worth of Queensland horticulture production annually.

If allowed to lapse, there would be disruptions to national consistency and weakened traceability of bee hives during biosecurity events.