The Minns Labor Government is progressing the important work of the NSW Independent Biosecurity Commissioner into reviewing the state's Cattle Tick Program by announcing a significant boost to the program, by investing $7 million to rebuild the program to better protect the state's livestock industry.
Last year the Minister for Agriculture appointed Dr Katherine Clift to the role of Independent Biosecurity Commissioner and requested her first priority be to identify opportunities to improve the management of cattle tick in NSW.
This followed feedback from stakeholders that the state's Cattle Tick Program had been run down under the former National Liberal Government and required a new approach to protecting the state's livestock operations along the border with Queensland where it is an established pest.
In developing her report, Dr Clift undertook work with stakeholders in the beef and dairy industries and far north coast communities, reviewed the existing program, and has made 14 recommendations to improve the program to deliver more effective biosecurity outcomes.
The Minister for Agriculture has determined there is an urgent need to improve the existing program to protect the state's northern beef and dairy sector.
Work will start immediately to get the program back on track by boosting the program's annual budget by 60 percent to implement the Commissioner's recommendations.
The Minns Government commitment to the following foundational actions for renewing and rebuilding the state's important Cattle Tick Program includes the following:
- Commitment to eradication as the objective driving all program decisions and regulatory actions and deliver the first Cattle Tick Eradication Action Plan by 30 September 2026.
- Deliver more support to farmers to better understand the options available to them for prevention and management of infestations and collaborate on improving the program.
- Boost the program's access to veterinary resources and skills by transferring the Cattle Tick team to operate under the NSW Chief Veterinary Officer, ensuring its animal health focus, and boosting technical and compliance support from across DPIRD and Local Land Services.
- Prioritising and expanding research and development focusing on chemical resistance and alternatives, diagnostics, emerging control tools, and monitoring technology.
This is part of the Minns Labor Government's commitment to protecting the state's primary industries and boost the economic growth of the sector and follows an historic $1.05 billion investment in the state's biosecurity budget.
The new NSW Cattle Tick Plan will be developed in collaboration with stakeholders and will be aligned with the state's recently updated biosecurity response frameworks, and will clearly articulate program objectives, outcomes, strategies, and performance measures.
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:
"I would like to thank Dr Katherine Clift on delivering her report on reviewing the cattle tick program that our Government inherited, so that we can improve and better manage the program.
"Our Government will now move to rebuild this important livestock biosecurity program, and we will implement all 14 of her recommendations backed by significantly increased funding of $7 million.
"This is important work and we will get the program back on track for beef and dairy farmers whose livestock are endangered by cattle tick spreading from Queensland.
"The former National Liberal Government allowed the cattle tick program to shrink and waive from a stated commitment to eradication, which was just not acceptable to anyone.
"The Minns Government is turning that unacceptable approach around, and rebuilding the program based on expert advice from the Biosecurity Commissioner and in collaboration with the livestock industry.
"Our Government is focused on protecting and growing our agricultural industries and the announcement today on rebuilding the Cattle Tick Program, again demonstrates that our Government is the one that really delivers for our farmers."
