23 June 2022
Who does this notice affect?
Approved arrangements operators, customs brokers, importers, manned depots*, and freight forwarders wishing to book and manage requests for import inspections using the Biosecurity Portal in NSW, QLD, WA, SA, NT and ACT.
The Portal is planned to be launched in Victoria in late July. An Import Industry Advice Notice will be issued ahead of time to confirm details.
Who is not affected by this notice?
Clients who require:
- Bulk bookings
- Virtual visual label inspections
- Airway bill requests
- High volume specialist operators (HSVO).
What is the Biosecurity Portal?
Biosecurity Operations are improving the way we deliver our services to our industry clients. We are working with industry to co-design our new service model and enable industry to interact with us online through the Biosecurity Portal.
The Portal allows clients to lodge and manage requests for an import inspection at any time in a centralised online location. The Portal means inspection requests at your fingertips - no manual forms, one central location, save time, and have more visibility with 24/7 access to your AIMS directions information and inspection bookings.
While we deploy these significant reforms and initiatives and our staff transition to a new way of operating, we will be closely monitoring for any resultant disruption.
What is changing?
On 25 June 2022 a new version of the Portal will be released with new features and enhancements for clients including:
- Providing new ways to register in the Portal.
- Registration Option 1: A registration upgrade, to align with new mandated Commonwealth requirements, for existing Portal users resulting in minor changes during the log-in process.
- Registration Option 2: A new simple way to register for freight forwarders, clients with a low volume of import inspection requests, or clients who do not have an ABN, enabling them to use the Portal without a requirement for myGovID authentication.
- Improved navigation.
- Reducing duplicate inspection types and improving the search functionality, making the choice of inspection type simpler.
- Reducing the number of steps with more on-screen instructions to make the inspection request process clearer and easier to follow.
Please refer to the Release notes for more information.
Who is supported by the Biosecurity Portal?
| Registration Option 1 |
Registration Option 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approved arrangements operators | Customs brokers & importers | Manned depots* | Other Users# | |
| Online request for inspection (RFI) submission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto pre-population of RFI details | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Viewing and printing of AIMS Direction information† | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| View / manage inspection requests that I have lodged | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| View / manage inspection requests lodged by any authorised user representing my organisation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| View / manage my upcoming inspection bookings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| View / manage upcoming bookings lodged by any authorised user representing my organisation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| View my historical inspection bookings made via the Portal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| View historical inspection bookings lodged by any authorised user representing my organisation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Receive automatic email notifications. e.g. confirmation of inspection request and confirmed inspection booking details | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manage individual profile | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manage organisational profile | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Manage user access (who can represent my organisation) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
* Only for one-offs e.g. requesting inspections requiring a different skill set (other than inspections that can be undertaken by onsite officer).
# Includes freight forwarders, clients with a low volume of import inspection requests, and clients without an ABN.
† Import clients will be able to view AIMS Direction information issued by the department if:
- Approved Arrangements – if the AA number is listed against an active AIMS Direction.
- Brokerage – the ABN of the brokerage is listed against the import declaration in the Integrated Cargo System (ICS).
- Importer – the ABN of the importer is listed against the import declaration in the Integrated Cargo System (ICS).
Scheduled Outage
The Portal will be unavailable from 14:00 Saturday 25 June to 07:00 Sunday 26 June (AEST) while the new features and enhancements are being implemented.
Further information
For more information on the Biosecurity Portal including its functions and how to use it please see Biosecurity Portal webpage or email biosecurityportal@awe.gov.au
For information on request for inspections (RFI) submitted via the Portal or email, please continue to direct your enquiries to the department’s Client Contact Group on 1800 900 090.