A new hub launched by Charles Sturt University aims to enhance Australia’s biosecurity defences against pests and diseases
Charles Sturt University has launched its Biosecurity Hub to enhance the nation’s biosecurity defences – protecting Australia’s food, farms and communities.
The $30 million co-investment in research and training will specifically respond to threats outlined by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), which estimates that invasive species cost Australia approximately $25 billion a year.
A multidisciplinary team of expert researchers, scientists and trainers from various fields have been brought together as part of the Biosecurity Hub, which will focus on leadership in research and development, traceability innovation, education and training, capacity-building initiatives and building and maintaining strong partnerships.
“Charles Sturt University is a national leader in biosecurity research and training initiatives, spearheading innovation and transformation efforts to safeguard Australia’s food, farms, environment and communities from the increasing threats posed by pests, weeds, and diseases,” Charles Sturt vice-chancellor and president professor Renée Leon says.
“Our Biosecurity Hub focuses on strengthening Australia’s capacity to detect, prevent and respond to pests and diseases that threaten our food, farms and our future.”
Biosecurity Training Centre academic director David Mackay says Charles Sturt is at the forefront of training frontline personnel who are protecting Australia’s borders and those of its Asia-Pacific partners.
“Charles Sturt University has been working with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) since 2022, utilising the University’s teaching and research strengths to train more than 840 frontline biosecurity officers in capabilities, contributing to the sector’s goal of growing the country’s agricultural production to $100 billion by 2030,” he says.
Partnerships with the likes of the Department of Agriculture and DAFF, have allowed Charles Sturt to be equipped to tackle a range of current or emerging biosecurity threats in the Indo-Pacific region.