From Inspection to Intelligence: Jason Preece on Modernising Australia's Biosecurity Frontline

Australia's biosecurity frontline was built around the inspection, but rising trade, e-commerce parcels and traveller numbers, with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games ahead, mean that model is running out of road. In this Speaker Spotlight, Jason Preece, Assistant Secretary, Operational Strategy & Reform, Biosecurity Operations at DAFF, explains how the department is shifting from physical inspection to intelligence-led, risk-based intervention.

He shares why officer judgment is the instinct worth keeping, how better front-end data can target low-value e-commerce parcels, and what the Australia Travel Declaration has delivered so far. His view: technology is the easier part, and the real work is integration, trust and co-design. Hear Jason present his case study at the 3rd Annual Border Technology Summit ANZ 2027 on Tuesday 23 February 2027 in Canberra.