National Plant Biosecurity RD&E Strategy Implementation Committee

Meeting 10 Face to face, 4th Floor Conference Room, Primary Industries Building, 80 Ann Street, Brisbane. 19th August 2015 10am – 3pm

Attendees Name Organisation Dr Clive Noble (Chair) Independent Chair Dr Gary Fitt CSIRO Mr Greg Fraser PHA Dr Satendra Kumar NSW DPI Mr David Moore HIA Dr Suzy Perry QDAFF Dr Kim Ritman Department of Agriculture Dr Martin Barlass (replacing Michael Robinson) PBCRC

Mr Rod Turner (Strategy Leader) PHA Dr Victoria Ludowici (Executive Officer) PHA

Via teleconference Name Organisation Dr Rosalie McCauley (replacing Rob DAFWA Loughman) Dr Simone Warner (part) DEDJTR Vic

Apologies Name Organisation Dr Mike Ashton QDAFF Mr Tim Lester CRRDC Dr Rob Loughman DAFWA Dr Michael Robinson PBCRC

Draft Minutes Meeting 10 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 1 of 10 Key Dates 27th October– Implementation Committee Meeting 11 in Melbourne 25th November- AgSOC R&I Strategy Leaders Forum in Melbourne 22, 24 and 29th March 2016- PHA Annual Operating Plan meetings in Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane respectively 31st May 2016- PHA Plant Industry Forum, EPPRD Parties meeting and General Meeting 1st June 2016- Plant Biosecurity RD&E Forum

Meeting Summary The committee discussed the progress of the sustainable RD&E system to support National Plant Health project. The final report (Report C) will be circulated amongst the committee prior to the October meeting.

Planning of the Plant Biosecurity RD&E Forum 2016 was discussed and the committee agreed to postpone the forum until May 2016. A forum planning committee was formed and will meet before the next meeting.

The committee also discussed the cross sectoral priorities analysis performed by the executive. It was suggested that once complete a report should be circulated amongst the committee’s stakeholders and could potentially be presented to CRRDC.

Agenda Items 1 and 2: Welcome and Apologies The Chair welcomed all to the tenth meeting of the Implementation Committee.

Agenda Item 3 – Review of Action Items from Meeting Progress on the individual Action items from the previous meeting was discussed. Discussion of individual Action Items which were to be covered through subsequent Agenda Items of this meeting were deferred to the Agenda Item. Action Items 1 (TORs for Reference Committee), 2 (recommend independent chairs for reference committee), 3 (Annual committee report to be sent out) and 8 (HPP diagnostic standards currently being funded by GRDC & AGWA) were complete. The Chair and Department of Agriculture are yet to discuss if the Committee has a role in Environmental Biosecurity and if it should form linkages to the Environment Biosecurity Strategy developed by NBC. HIA have sent details of the horticulture extension audit and PHA has contacted GRDC in regards to receiving information on the grains extension audit. Action Item 6 (Initial biosecurity RDE analysis to be sent to jurisdictions) has been delayed until further analysis takes place.

Draft Minutes Meeting 10 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 2 of 10 Agenda Item 4a – A sustainable RD&E system to support National Plant Health update The PBCRC provided an update on the “Sustainable RD&E system to support National Plant Health” project. The PBCRC advised they ran two workshops in which ten different potential models were proposed for stakeholder’s to discuss. Following on from those workshops the PBCRC is currently preparing a summary report (referred to as report C) which will collate the information from Report A (review of the current biosecurity system in Australia), Report B (proposed RD&E models) and the two stakeholder workshops to provide recommendations on a way forward to develop a sustainable RD&E system to support national plant biosecurity. This report should be finished by the end of August and will be circulated amongst the committee for consideration.

The PBCRC to provide “Report C” on the sustainable RD&E system project to the Executive Officer to circulate to the committee.

Agenda Item 4b – Sustainable RDE system model Stage 2: Terms of Reference, Steering Committee composition At meeting 9 the Chair of this committee and the Chair of the PBCRC were tasked with providing to the committee a list of suggested names for a new reference committee and a draft terms of reference for the sustainable RD&E system project. At meeting 9 there was discussion on whether this project should be a joint project with the PBCRC or if the PBCRC should lead with this committee providing input as required. The paper presented at meeting 10 sought guidance from the committee on the future role of the committee for this project and contained recommendations from the Chair of this committee and the chair of the PBCRC. It was determined that this project would not be a joint project but a PBCRC project, however, the committee agreed to provide input and encouraged the PBCRC to provide future drafts of the reports for this committee to consider and comment on.

Agenda Item 5 – National Plant Biosecurity Forum The forum working group met out of session and presented a paper with a draft program for consideration. The proposed theme of the meeting was how do different departments (including the difference between regulators and research providers), RDCs and industries go about prioritising RD&E in plant biosecurity. A case study of Tropical Race 4 Panama disease was included in the draft program to highlight how RD&E gaps can arise even when a great deal of R&D is undertaken by industry and government. The possibility of discussing how science is used to determine policy using Import Risk Analyses (IRAs) as an example was raised as it would entice industry to attend. However, it was felt that this may be too contentious and was not focused strongly enough on RD&E in plant biosecurity. It was suggested that rather than have a single forum, multiple forums could be carried out in different regions with different case studies to suit the region, as this may gain greater industry attendance than a single forum.

Draft Minutes Meeting 10 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 3 of 10 The date of the forum was discussed and the proposed date in November is too soon and attaching the forum to the PHA General Meeting (May 31st 2016) was the preferred option. A new working group was formed to plan the forum (DEDJTR, PBCRC, PHA, QDAF) and present a paper to meeting 11. Committee members were encouraged to send any ideas or thoughts related to the forum to the Executive Officer.

Forum organising committee to meet and present a paper at Meeting 11 covering venue, draft program, topic/theme of the forum, facilitator, date and venue of the forum.

Committee members to send ideas or thoughts related to the forum to the Executive Officer.

The committee also discussed the potential for a Global biosecurity conference. This conference would be a joint animal and plant biosecurity conference and is likely to be modelled off the Global Biosecurity 2010: safeguarding agriculture and the environment conference held in Brisbane. PHA has discussed this concept with AHA and they are supportive of the idea. It was felt that at least 12 months would be required to plan and as the committee is already planning a forum for May and there would not be enough time to plan this conference. The committee noted that there was going to be a One Health Ecohealth Conference 2016 (4-7 December) in Melbourne 2016. It was also noted that this conference is targeted at human diseases and zoonoses and so the attendees list for the two conferences could be very different.

Agenda Item 6 – Cross sectoral priorities analysis by PHA The Strategy Leader and the Executive Officer presented their work in analysing the cross sectoral priorities for the committee to consider. The first part of this work was presented at the meeting 9 where the Executive Officer identified pests listed as high priority pests (HPPs) of multiple industries from the PHA industry biosecurity plans and the various PHA resources available for these pests e.g. contingency plans, diagnostic protocols, factsheets etc. The Executive Officer also determined which RDCs and NPIRDEF strategies listed plant biosecurity as an RD&E priority. Any pests named specifically by the RDCs and NPIRDEF strategies was also noted. The Executive Officer also matched the HPPs of multiple industries with relevant projects from the National Plant Biosecurity Status Report noting that at times it was difficult to ascertain which pest species was being referred to.

Since that meeting the Executive Officer considered projects in the recently released National Plant Biosecurity Status Report. This process is taking longer than anticipated as, for many of the projects, there is little information meaning the Executive Officer has to contact the lead researcher directly, some of whom are reluctant to discuss their projects. Once this is complete the Executive Officer will redo the analysis and match the projects to the cross sectoral HPP list.

Draft Minutes Meeting 10 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 4 of 10 This project list can be used to identify areas of interest to the committee. The executive provided three example areas where the committee could add value, namely Fusarium research, whitefly vectored viruses and pasture and weed species. The committee noted that projects that are listed as funded by an RDC are actually co-funded by an RDC and the Government.

Through this analysis it was found that most of the cross sectoral HPPs had at least one factsheet, however, many of the HPPs did not have an EPPRD category or a diagnostic protocol. Also the majority of these pests did not have any relevant projects listed in the National Plant Biosecurity Status Report, although this may change once further analysis is completed. Only 5% of these pests were mentioned in RDC strategic plans or NPIRDEF strategies and where an RDC mentioned plant biosecurity as a priority, the vast majority of the time the corresponding NPIRDEF strategy also mentioned plant biosecurity. RD&E on exotic pests was noted as a significant gap.

It was suggested that this work could be presented at the CRRDC and the committee could highlight the need and particular areas where RDCs could work together. Also as the next round of the Rural R&D for Profit program is approaching the committee could submit a proposal for a body of knowledge for whiteflies and whitefly vectored viruses, Fusarium or another cross sectoral RD&E priority area.

Executive Officer to write a draft paper on the Cross sectoral priorities analysis to be presented to CRRDC and distributed amongst the committee’s stakeholders.

Executive Officer to circulate the mindmap and the powerpoint presentation from the committee to all committee members.

Agenda Item 7 – Key messages for communication The committee felt that the new timing of the forum should be communicated to the committee’s stakeholders and the methods of the cross sectoral priorities analysis should be written up and distributed amongst the committees stakeholders. When the cross sectoral priorities analysis is complete a report should be written up and circulated amongst the Chief Plant Protection Officers. An update should be provided for the committee’s stakeholders on the PBCRC sustainable RD&E system to support national plant health project.

Executive Officer to write a Committee update including information on the cross sectoral priorities analysis, the PBCRC sustainable RD&E system to support national plant health project and the new timing of the forum.

Draft Minutes Meeting 10 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 5 of 10 Agenda Item 8 – Other business PHA advised it has hired Dr Sharyn Taylor to work in a newly created broad acre cropping stream within PHA.

The Chair noted that the committee has been operating for 12 months and that is now appropriate for the committee to review and reassess its priorities in order to ensure that its activities are relevant to the original intent described in the Strategy approved by AGSOC and that the committee’s activities were ‘making a difference’.

Strategy Leader to refer to the original strategic activities described for the Implementation Committee in the NPBRDE Strategy and write a discussion paper on areas of action to date by the Committee and the activities where the committee could refocus and/or initiate new actions. Discussion paper to be vigorously discussed at the October meeting to assist the committee in determining priorities for the next 12 months.

Agenda Item 9 – Next meeting The next meeting will be held in Melbourne on the 27th October. The progress of the committee will be on the agenda, with a paper on cross sectoral priorities from the executive.

Draft Minutes Meeting 10 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 6 of 10 Summary of actions

Action Item Action Responsibility Expecte Status Comments d Complet ion Meeting 10

Agenda Item 4A The PBCRC to provide “Report PBCRC 27.10.1 C” on the sustainable RD&E 5 system project to the Executive Officer to circulate to the committee.

Agenda Item 5 Forum organising committee to PHA, PBCRC, 1.10.15 meet and present a paper at DEDJTR, QDAF Meeting 11 covering venue, draft program, topic/theme of the forum, facilitator, date and venue of the forum.

Committee members to send Whole 23.10.1 ideas or thoughts related to the committee 5 forum to the Executive Officer.

Agenda Item 6 Executive Officer to write a draft Executive 7.12.15 paper on the Cross sectoral Officer priorities analysis to be presented to CRRDC and distributed amongst the

Draft Minutes Meeting 9 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 7 of 10 committee’s stakeholders.

Executive Officer to circulate the Executive 20.10.1 Complete This has been circulated mindmap and the powerpoint Officer 5 amongst the committee presentation from the committee to all committee members.

Agenda Item 7 Executive Officer to write a Executive 21.10.1 Committee update including Officer 5 information on the cross sectoral priorities analysis, the PBCRC sustainable RD&E system to support national plant health project and the new timing of the forum.

Agenda Item 8 Strategy Leader to refer to the Strategy Leader 27.10.1 original strategic activities 5 described for the Implementation Committee in the NPBRDE Strategy and write a discussion paper on areas of action to date by the Committee and the activities where the committee could refocus and/or initiate new actions. Discussion paper to be vigorously discussed at the October meeting to assist the committee in determining Draft Minutes Meeting 9 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 8 of 10 priorities for the next 12 months.

Meeting 9 PHA to analyse National Plant Agenda Item 7 PHA 12.8.15 In progress Biosecurity Status Report, to review any possible cross sectoral projects and report back to the committee with the results. Chair to talk with Department of Chair and DA 12.8.15 In progress Agriculture regarding this committee’s role in environmental biosecurity and linkages (if any) to the Environment Biosecurity Strategy developed by NBC. The initial analysis prepared by Executive 12.8.15 In progress Covered in Action from the Executive Officer to be Officer meeting 10 (Agenda Item circulated to all jurisdictions for 6) comment Consideration of the Grains and Agenda Item 8 GRDC and HIA 12.8.15 In progress HIA included a report at Horticulture Extension Audits to the last meeting. Have be included as an Agenda Item contacted GRDC and in the next NPBRDES IC Meeting hope to have the 11. document before the meeting.

Meeting 8

Draft Minutes Meeting 9 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 9 of 10 Agenda Item 5 CSIRO and PBCRC to nominate CSIRO and 18.6.15 In progress To be discussed at the research leader participants in PBCRC Forum Working Group the Plant biosecurity forum and meeting a presenter for the technology based plant biosecurity cross sectoral project

Action Item 5: NSW DPI and DA NSW DPI and 18.6.15 In progress To be discussed at the to suggest participants at the DA Forum Working Group forum for the Commonwealth meeting and state governments

Action Item 7: CRRDC, GRDC CRRDC, GRDC 18.6.15 In progress HIA and GRDC absent and HIA to suggest participants and HIA at the forum for RDCs

Draft Minutes Meeting 9 NPBRDE Strategy Implementation Committee Page 10 of 10