The federal government's proposed additional 10 per cent biosecurity charge on agricultural levy-paying producers, by July 1 next year has been strongly opposed by the horticultural (and many other agricultural) industries. 
  
Key concerns include: 
• the charge will be directed to consolidated revenue and therefore is a tax and not a true biosecurity levy. 
• lack of transparency on how the money will be spent. 
• non-levy paying beneficiaries continue to pay nothing whereas industries with an existing biosecurity tax will pay more. 
• trust in the biosecurity system is being undermined. 
  
Olive levy payers who pay 10c/tonne towards a biosecurity levy will be impacted by this proposed new charge.  
  
Australian Olive Association is working with a collective of agricultural industries to oppose this proposed new charge in its current form. 
  
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has advised a new host for Xylella has been discovered.  
 
Tree of Heaven, a weedy species in Australia is the new Xylella host and all imported nursery stock in this family will no longer be allowed.  
  
This highlights why it is so important that we do everything we can to prevent Xylella from entering Australia through commercial or R&D channels.