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Plant Health Laws in South Australia (PDF 641.6 KB)

Queensland Fruit Fly - Host Check List (PDF 1.1 MB)

Latest News

Biosecurity SA has produced a new information poster for commercial growers and the public on signs to look out for in detecting Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid disease (PSTVd). More information or view poster ( PDF 1.3 MB).

Sterile flies to 'wing it' in Salisbury fruit fly purge

Fruit fly outbreak declared in Adelaide's north-west - 23 February 2012

APVMA – suspension of use of dimethoate - 6 October 2011 (external site)

Locusts

Languages Other Than English
If you need information translated, and you live in South Australia, please contact the Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS) on 13 14 50 and ask the interpreter to telephone Service SA on 13 23 24.

For more information about this translation service go to the Interpreting and Translation Centre.

Legislation & Standards

Plant product including fruit, vegetables, flowers, plants, soil, seeds and equipment may carry pests and diseases that pose a major threat to the economy of South Australia (e.g. fruit fly, melon thrip, phylloxera being a few examples).

South Australia, like others States has a Plant Health Act and associated procedures (entry requirements) which detail how plant product may move from State to State to minimise spread of such pests/diseases.

Biosecurity SA's strict regulations and entry requirements are available in detail in the Plant Quarantine Standard (PQS) and identify many host plant products that can only enter South Australia if accompanied by a Plant Health Certificate (PHC) or Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PHAC) certifying the host product is free of disease or has been treated. A PHC is issued by a State Inspector whilst a PHAC will have been issued by an accredited business ( View a list of ICA arrangements South Australia accepts ). On arrival these identified host products must be 'cleared' by Biosecurity SA or an accredited person prior to distribution and if such product arrives without necessary certification it is a requirement that any person receiving them must notify a Biosecurity SA- Plant Health Inspector.

The Act and the PQS are available below.

Plant Health Act

The Plant Health Act 2009  and Plant Health Regulations 2010 came into operation on 1st August 2009.

The Plant Health Act repeals existing legislation – the Fruit and Plant Protection Act 1992 and the Noxious Insects Act 1934.

Download Plant Health Act brochure (PDF 600 kb)

Download 'The South Australian Government Gazette'. (external link).

Forms associated with the requirements of the Act are available at  www.pir.sa.gov.au/forms. Accreditation information is available at  www.pir.sa.gov.au/ica 

Plant Quarantine Standard

On 21 October 2009, The Minister for Agriculture Food and Fisheries issued a Notice under Section 59 of the Plant Health Act 2009 providing the basis on which fruit, vegetables and plant material may be imported into the State (The Plant Quarantine Standard South Australia - SA Government Gazette Pages 4958 - 4961)

Under the Plant Health Act 2009 fruit, vegetables, plants, plant products, machinery, equipment and certain related items may:

  • be prohibited entry into South Australia
  • have specific conditions under which they can enter the state
  • be subject to prescribed measures to eradicate or control plant pests.

"The Plant Quarantine Standard (PQS) has been established under the Act to identify the relevant conditions of entry for a particular fruit, vegetable, plant, plant products, machinery or equipment used by a plant industry. The PQS is available from here in 2 formats;

Where such requirements apply, the fruit, vegetables, plants, plant products, machinery, equipment etc must be accompanied by a Plant Health Certificate (PDF 9 kb) or Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PDF 39 kb).  The certificate must be completed in full by a 'recognised authority' to certify that the appropriate entry requirements have been met."

This SUMMARY of IMPORT REQUIREMENTS for PLANT MATERIAL INTO SA provides nurseries an simple way to determine whether Plants they wish to move into SA can enter with or without certification.

Transporters

Transporters carrying fruit, vegetables, plant material and related machinery must provide manifests to Biosecurity SA indicating the impending arrival into SA;
by email to Pirsa.planthealthmanifest@sa.gov.au
OR
Fax: (08) 8124 1467.

View an example manifest and download the manifest for completion.

Download letter (DOC 128 kb) to explain the obligations of transport companies under the new Act. 

Local Growers and Packers of Produce

Download Plant Health Program Compliance and Enforcement Policy (DOC 116 kb)

Download letter (DOC 80 kb) to Growers and Packers of Produce