The McGowan Government has announced a $32.6 million investment to strengthen Western Australia’s biosecurity defenses in response to the increasing threat of animal diseases. The funding aims to safeguard the state’s lucrative livestock industries from serious diseases such as foot and mouth disease and lumpy skin disease, which have been identified in nearby countries.
Of the total funding, $10.4 million will enhance WA’s response to animal disease outbreaks. This will involve increasing field personnel, improving veterinary pathology, epidemiology, and diagnostic testing capabilities, and delivering emergency training and exercises.
The investment will also create up to 14 new full-time biosecurity jobs at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, further bolstering the state’s biosecurity capabilities.
Additionally, $22.2 million will facilitate the industry transition to the mandatory sheep and goat electronic identification system (eID) by 1 January 2025. This step is crucial to strengthen national traceability, providing a lifetime record of each animal’s movements.
The funding package includes additional resources for the Tag Incentive Payment scheme, a program designed to assist sheep and goat producers transition to the new eID system. The government’s investment also covers upgrades to supply chain infrastructure and eID scanning equipment.
This latest funding builds on the McGowan Government’s previous $3.4 million investment to launch the Tag Incentive Payment discount scheme. The State Government’s total investment to support the adoption of eIDs in WA now stands at $25.6 million.
The 2023-24 State Budget reflects the McGowan Government’s ongoing commitment to biosecurity, building on previous investments designed to protect primary industries, the environment, and regional communities from plant and animal pests and diseases. This substantial financial commitment will fortify Western Australia’s position in managing biosecurity risks and ensure the continued prosperity of its livestock industries.
Photo by Jordyn Montague on Unsplash
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