The Australian biosecurity landscape and how it is influenced by the WTO

Australia has a unique natural environment and Australia’s biosecurity protocols are generally much stricter than in most other countries around the world. However, Australia is also a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which discourages member states from engaging in ‘protectionism’- even when driven by genuine biosecurity concern. This article explores the Australian biosecurity landscape, the influence of the WTO and a more recent trend of reform and liberalisation in Australia’s strict biosecurity approaches.