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Importers undergo 'carrots and sticks' trial
Predicting human behaviour is never easy but new research is providing useful insights into ways the department can motivate importers to comply with our biosecurity requirements.
Encouraging importers and others in the import-supply chain to follow biosecurity protocols is increasingly important, as the biosecurity landscape continues to change, bringing new challenges and risks.
Stakeholders recently gathered in Canberra to hear researchers from the Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis (CEBRA) and the department talk about 'Carrots and Sticks' — a project which aims to design and trial biosecurity inspection protocols that encourage compliant behaviour.
CEBRA's Dr Susie Hester said that it was vital to understand and incorporate the strategic behaviour of stakeholders in inspection rule design, to prevent individuals from undermining Australia's biosecurity, putting our agricultural industries, environment and population at risk.