The Hon. Tony Perrett, Minister for Primary Industries (Qld), Media Release, 9 July 2026
The Crisafulli Government is delivering stronger biosecurity in collaboration with industry, stakeholders and Queensland businesses at today’s Biosecurity in the Boardroom event in Cairns, discussing how Far North Queensland Business leaders can play an active role in managing potential biosecurity risks.
Backed by the Crisafulli Government, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation’s Biosecurity in the Boardroom initiative gives business leaders practical advice on identifying and managing biosecurity risks in their respective fields.
The first event was held in Brisbane last year, highlighting the risks that plant and animal pests and diseases pose to business operations, including costly delays and reputational damage. Now, the initiative is expanding to Far North Queensland, with business leaders in Cairns taking part for the first time.
During a decade of Labor decline, Queensland’s biosecurity safeguards crumbled. The State’s northernmost biosecurity defence line was closed, and Labor’s biosecurity workforce shrank by more than 20 per cent between 2015 and 2022.
In addition to supporting initiatives like this to raise the importance of biosecurity, the Crisafulli Government is delivering on its election commitment to fund 100 new biosecurity officers in its first term, with more than 40 now in place across Queensland.
Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said feedback from businesses taking part in Biosecurity in the Boardroom showed corporate leaders were serious about protecting Queensland’s economy and way of life.
“Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility. Businesses have a legal obligation to uphold biosecurity standards, but this initiative encourages corporate leaders to go further and protect Queensland’s great lifestyle while safeguarding their bottom line. It’s a win-win,” Minister Perrett said.
“The Crisafulli Government is backing frontline biosecurity presence with 100 additional officers, and giving businesses the tools they need to protect themselves, something Queenslanders were denied under a decade of Labor neglect.
“Biosecurity threats are an ever-present reality, so we need to stay vigilant and prepared to protect our industries, our economy, our environment and our way of life.
“Further, biosecurity underpins Queensland’s ability to grow and produce clean, healthy and nutritious local food, and ultimately, strong biosecurity is the linchpin of a productive primary industries sector and regional and rural communities.”
“I’m pleased we can back the Queensland Farmers’ Federation in taking this initiative to regional businesses and helping them not only identify, but lift their biosecurity practices.”
Queensland Farmers’ Federation CEO Jo Sheppard said today’s event reflected the momentum building behind the Biosecurity in the Boardroom initiative since its launch.
“The response in the room today shows just how far the conversation has come. Boards and leadership teams outside agriculture are starting to ask the right questions: is biosecurity on our risk register, have we trained our people, what would a breach actually cost us,” Ms Sheppard said.
“Business leaders from all sectors are encouraged to get involved and can access a range of resources from the QFF website to get the conversation started – it’s about embedding biosecurity risk management as part of every company’s culture, just as we have for workplace health and safety, and cyber security risk management.”
The Biosecurity in the Boardroom initiative directly supports the Queensland Biosecurity Strategy 2024–2029 to ensure Queenslanders, including business leaders, have access to programs that promote positive biosecurity behaviours and embed effective planning and practices.
For more information on Biosecurity in the Boardroom visit the website.
