Travellers Must Give Biosecurity Info or Pay Fines; Director of Biosecurity Must Explain Why, If Arrangements Are Refused
Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026
House of Representatives
Senate
Assent
Topics
biosecurity border control border security criminal penalties environmental protection information sharing passenger information regulatory compliance travel requirements
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Ms COLLINS
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Australia’s biosecurity system plays a critical role in protecting our environment, world-class agricultural and animal production sectors, economy, and way of life. It safeguards Australia’s favourable pest and disease status, underpins domestic productivity, and provides access to international markets.”
Darren Chester NAT
“At the outset, I’d like to acknowledge the member for Farrer for his fine contribution in his inaugural speech here in this place, and I wish him well and every success as he seeks to represent that magnificent community in regional New South Wales.”
Tom French ALP
“Australia is an island nation, and that gives us an enormous advantage. We are separated by sea from many of the pests and diseases that damage farms, animals, plants and natural environments in other parts of the world. But that advantage only works if we protect it.”
Ash Ambihaipahar ALP
“As a kid, I would sit with my uncle, late at night, on his car bonnet, watching the planes taking off or landing at Sydney airport. Fast forward to today: if you stand on the northern edge of my electorate on any given morning, you’ll see the planes lining up over Botany Bay and, one after another, descending into Sydney airport.”
Kevin Hogan NAT
“Given the Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026 deals with biosecurity, I want to talk about a biosecurity issue we have in Australia.”
Ms ROBERTS
“The incorporated speech read as follows— I would like to speak to the Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026. Australia’s biosecurity system is one of the quiet achievers of our national framework—rarely seen, but absolutely essential to the protection of our environment, our agricultural strength, our economy and, ultimately, our way of life.”
Tim Ayres ALP
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— Australia’s biosecurity system plays a critical role in protecting our environment, world-class agricultural and animal production sectors, economy, and way of life.”
James McGrath LNP
“I rise to speak on the Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026. The coalition will be supporting this bill. Australia has one of the strongest biosecurity systems in the world, and we did not build it by accident.”
Nita Green ALP
“I’m pleased to rise on this Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026, particularly because it enables an incredibly important modernisation of our border, something that is going to be incredibly important for our international visitors and tourism sector. The bill does two things.”