Govt asleep at wheel on biosecurity: Labor

Labor says the federal government has missed another deadline to assist biosecurity protections for food security, food safety and Australia's international brands.

Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said last year's Craik Review into Australia's biosecurity system found it was at risk of failing without additional resources and recommended a new import levy.

Mr Fitzgibbon said after a long delay the government said it would introduce a levy by July 1, 2019, but then having missed that deadline, said it would be operating on September 1.

"It's September 1 today, and Australia still doesn't have a new biosecurity imports levy in place," Mr Fitzgibbon said in a statement on Sunday.

"The government doesn't even have a draft bill for parliamentary consideration, yet the levy's revenues were booked in the 2019/20 budget."

He warned this broken a promise could have grave consequences for consumers, food manufacturers and farmers.

"Australians expect effective and swift biosecurity decisions from government - our food security, health and natural environment depend on it. But this government is asleep at the wheel," Mr Fitzgibbon said.