Acceptable to whom?

Every import decision comes down to one thing: how much risk Australia is prepared to accept.

That's not an easy question. Our biosecurity system is built around the concept of an Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP) – the level of biosecurity risk Australia is prepared to accept while facilitating trade. 

But there's another question that deserves equal consideration: acceptable to whom? 

For the grower whose livelihood depends on keeping exotic pests and diseases out, even a small increase in risk can have lifelong consequences. Biosecurity isn't something you get a second chance at.

Once an exotic pest or disease establishes itself here, growers are left to manage the consequences. Production costs increase. Crop protection becomes more complex. Productivity can decline. Access to both interstate and international markets can be affected. And like many other business risks, there is rarely a simple fix.

That's why biosecurity matters so much to Queensland fruit and vegetable growers. It's also why every proposed import deserves rigorous scrutiny. This isn't about opposing trade or questioning science. It's about ensuring the science is robust, the risks are fully understood, and that Australia's ALOP genuinely reflects the level of protection needed to safeguard Australia’s agricultural industries. It’s also about holding our Federal Government to account on how they assess these risks and whether they genuinely have the capacity to apply effective control measures – which is far from easy when you’re dealing with supply chains in other sovereign nations. 

Australia's biosecurity system is one of our greatest competitive advantages. It has helped build a world-class horticulture industry that Australians trust and international markets respect. Maintaining that advantage requires constant vigilance, rigorous science and a recognition that the consequences of getting it wrong are not shared equally.

When decisions are made, it is growers who live with the outcome. That's why biosecurity can never be viewed simply as a trade issue alone. For Australia's fruit and vegetable growers, it's the foundation of their productivity, competitiveness and future. The risks must be fully understood by those making the decisions, and maintaining strong biosecurity protections must remain a priority in every import decision.