Director General’s report (extract)
As I reflect on the past year, I feel immense pride at the high quality of work that our department has achieved in support of our primary industries throughout Western Australia and our regions.
Our efforts have influenced community wellbeing, supported business growth, protected our state’s world-class food supply industries, and nurtured the beautiful land and aquatic resources that makes WA unique.
DPIRD’s role in ensuring WA’s biosecurity preparedness against plant and animal pests and diseases has been more important than ever this year. Only recently DPIRD commenced a response to the country’s first detection of H5 bird flu and continues to support a national effort in coordination with federal and state partner agencies.
Over the course of the year our team has been working hard to limit the spread of the polyphagous shothole borer (PSHB) following a national decision to transition the biosecurity response to a management phase.
Meanwhile, DPIRD is also leading a biosecurity response to eradicate Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) from the South Perth Como area. This latest response effort follows on from 10 biosecurity responses run by the department since 1989 that have successfully eradicated the pest. Our biosecurity work is only possible with the support of the WA community through valued citizen science initiatives such as Biosecurity Blitz, which is celebrating its 10th birthday in 2026 and which encourages the community to spot and report exotic pests and diseases.
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