Following a period operating under the name DAFF Biosecurity, it has since been absorbed into divisions in the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

AQIS was the agency responsible for animal, plant and human quarantine border controls, of passengers and cargo.

AQIS officers used X-ray machines and sniffer dogs in airports, seaports and mail centres to search for quarantine risk material.

AQIS also provided inspection and certification for a range of agricultural products exported from Australia, to ensure compliance with overseas countries importation requirements.

Biosecurity Australia was a prescribed agency within the Australian Government Department of Agriculture from August 2007 to September 2009.