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Nairn tip for new BA team
28 Jul 2004
Professor Malcolm Nairn, vice chancellor of WA's Murdoch University, is likely to become a member of the group of eminent scientists which will oversee the work of Biosecurity Australia. Professor Nairn chaired the national quarantine review in 1996, and the Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council until recently.
The new group is being set up to strengthen quarantine processes in the wake of growing criticism of BA. It's expected to contain up to seven Australian scientists and will check that BA takes proper account of public submissions in formulating its decisions.
BA has also been moved out of the trade area of the Agriculture Department and set up as a separate agency, following a series of blunders relating to import risk reports on NZ apples and Filipino bananas, as well as criticism from industry and a Senate inquiry.
The main concern now is to regain public confidence in BA and avert the danger of trading partners using the problems as a basis for challenges to Australia's quarantine barriers.
Weekly Times, 28/7/04, page 2.
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