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25 Jun 2025

Career profile | Nancy Cunningham

This month we shine the spotlight on Nancy Cunningham, a Senior Entomologist at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), part of Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia (PIRSA). Nancy manages the Waite Insect and Nematode Collection (WINC) and works on fruit fly response and biosecurity surveillance. She specialises in Dermestidae and Tephritidae taxonomy, […]

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25 Jun 2025

Plant Pathologists gather in Sydney for 25th APPS Conference

Experts in plant pathology gathered in Sydney for the 25th Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS) Conference, held from 26–28 May 2025 at the International Convention Centre. With the theme From field to future: scientific collections and plant pathology, the conference explored the role of biological collections in advancing research, agriculture, ecology and biosecurity. Plant Health Australia […]

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25 Jun 2025

NDP workshop strengthens biosecurity preparedness

A National Diagnostic Protocols (NDP) training workshop was held on 29 May 2025 at the University of Sydney, alongside the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS) Conference. The workshop contributed to strengthening Australia’s biosecurity preparedness by building technical capacity among plant diagnosticians. The event brought together 16 diagnosticians from across Australia and focused on increasing familiarity […]

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25 Jun 2025

NPBDN concludes the 2024–25 Annual Diagnostics Workshop series

The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network (NPBDN), coordinated by Plant Health Australia, has completed its 2024–25 Virtual Annual Diagnostics Workshop (vADW) series, held from November 2024 to April 2025. Across four webinars, more than 435 participants from Australia, New Zealand and beyond explored plant virology, mycology, bacteriology and invertebrate pests. The series featured 19 expert […]

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9 May 2025

EOI for the development of Teratosphaeria spp. NDP

Background The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) Environmental Biosecurity Office is currently seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from plant biosecurity diagnosticians or research scientists to develop a National Diagnostic Protocol (NDP) to cover three Teratosphaeria species on the National Priority List of Exotic Environmental Pests, Weeds and Diseases (EEPL). NDPs are […]

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11 Apr 2025

Register for the virtual Annual Diagnostics Workshop 2024-25 Invertebrate plant pests

The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network (NPBDN) is excited to announce that registration is now open for the fourth and final webinar in the virtual Annual Diagnostics Workshop (vADW) 2024-25 series. The webinar will focus on Invertebrate plant pests and will take place on Wednesday, 30 April 2025, from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm AESDT. […]

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10 Apr 2025

Expression of interest for the update, review and/or verification of National Diagnostic Protocols

The National Diagnostic Protocols (NDPs) are a key part of Australia’s plant biosecurity system. The Subcommittee on Plant Health Diagnostics (SPHD) manages their development. NDPs provide the minimum requirements for diagnostic procedures and methods to detect and identify plant pests. They include details on the pest, its host and taxonomic status and identification and detection […]

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25 Mar 2025

Register for virtual Annual Diagnostics Workshop 2024-25 Plant bacteriology

The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network (NPBDN) is excited to announce that registration is now open for the third webinar in the virtual Annual Diagnostics Workshop (vADW) 2024-25 series. The event kicked off in November 2024, featuring experts on plant virology, followed by a second webinar in February focusing on plant mycology (to view the […]

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Keeping an eye on pests and how to report a suspect pest

Any unusual plant pest, disease or weed should be reported.

Reporting hotlines operate in both Australia and New Zealand (numbers shown below).

Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881
New Zealand Pest and Disease Hotline 1800 084 881

Pests can also be reported using apps, such as MyPestGuide® for Australia, that allow you to submit a photo of the pest or symptoms.

Every report is taken seriously and handled confidentially. Management of calls varies in different areas, but to the same end.

MyPestGuide®

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