The Subcommittee on Market Access, Risk and Trade (SMART) is a subcommittee of the Plant Health Committee. It replaced the Subcommittee on Domestic Quarantine and Market Access in 2022.
Purpose
SMART oversees national functions for interstate trade in plants and plant products. These include:
- pest risk assessment
- interstate market access policy and regulation
- the Interstate Certification Assurance (ICA) scheme
- interstate trade reform.
Guiding principles
Australia’s domestic trade system aligns with standards established under international and national agreements, including the principles of:
- the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity (IGAB)
- International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures
- the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.
Priorities
SMART’s priorities are guided by the IGAB and priority reform areas identified through IGAB reviews (for example reduction of impediments to maintain and grow market access).
Key priorities include:
- supporting interstate trade
- delivering national pest risk assessments to guide trade requirements (including during a pest or disease response)
- developing standardised and enforceable interstate trade conditions for domestic trade
- conducting technical reviews of national policies for regulating plant pests
- implementing and coordinating the ICA scheme and national auditing program.
Working groups
SMART utilises specific working groups to deliver its work program. SMART also forms task-specific, project or reference groups when needed. These groups usually focus on:
- reviewing and/or updating existing pest risk assessments
- undertaking new pest risk assessments
- consulting with industry parties on business practices, risk levels and potential movement conditions
- developing interstate quarantine requirements.
Membership and meetings
Members include representatives from the Australian, and state and territory governments. Jurisdictions nominate 2 members with expertise in:
- scientific pest risk analysis
- plant biosecurity market access.
Members provide technical advice to the PHC on interstate plant biosecurity trade matters.
The Chair position is rotated among members.
Observers may come from government agencies, statutory authorities or government-industry-co-funded companies. Plant Health Australia (PHA) is the only current observer on SMART. Observers do not have voting rights.
SMART engages with project partners and industry, such as the Plant Industry Biosecurity Committee and the CSIRO Safe Trade Project and Hort Innovation’s Fresh and Secure Trade Alliance Project who are invited to parts of the SMART meetings.
SMART meet face to face twice a year.
Secretariat support for SMART is provided by the Australian Government.
SMART Communiqués
- SDQMA Communiqué 56
- SDQMA Communiqué 50
- SDQMA Communiqué 49
- SDQMA Communiqué 48
- SDQMA Communiqué 47
- SDQMA Communiqué 46
- SDQMA Communiqué 45
- SDQMA Communiqué 44
- SDQMA Communiqué 43
- SDQMA Communiqué 42
- SDQMA Communiqué 41
*Name was formerly the Subcommittee on Domestic Quarantine and Market Access.
See more
Find out more on interstate plant trade and domestic market access.
Contact us SMART Secretariat email smart@aff.gov.au
Mail address GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601
Phone 1800 900 090