Who does this notice affect?
Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries — including imported food stakeholders, customs brokers, freight forwarders, vessel masters, biosecurity industry participants and shipping agents
What has changed?
The department has completed its comprehensive review of the biosecurity cost recovery arrangement. The outcome proposes changes to existing regulatory charging to align fees and charges with the cost to deliver biosecurity and imported food activities.
The review process ensured the proposed price changes will recover only the minimum efficient costs of delivering our regulatory activities. These changes are set out in the draft 2023-24 CRIS.
The purpose of this notice is to advise industry:
- That the draft CRIS has been published on the department’s website and includes proposed fees and charges for biosecurity and imported food regulatory activities, set to come into effect from 1 July 2023.
- The proposed fees and charges become final when amendments to relevant charging legislation have been approved.
Proposed new fees and charges for biosecurity and imported food regulatory activity
The department consulted widely with industry and the public between 27 March and 1 May on proposed changes to biosecurity and imported food regulatory charging. Almost 50 submissions were received from stakeholders and presented to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, for consideration to inform a decision on the proposed fees and charges.
The feedback received from the ‘Have Your Say’ consultation can be reviewed on the department’s website.
| Type of charge | Charge point | Unit | Current Price ($) | New Price ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charges | Full Import Declaration charge – air | Per import declaration | 38 | 43 |
| Full Import Declaration charge – sea | Per import declaration | 58 | 63 | |
| Non-commercial Vessel arrival charge | Per vessel | 120 | 155 | |
| Vessel, other than a non‑commercial vessel arrival charge | Per vessel | 1 054 | 1 354 | |
| Permit application charge | Per application | 120 | 122 | |
| Approved arrangement application charge | Per application | 180 | 194 | |
| Approved arrangement – AEPCOMM entry | Per item | 18 | 20 | |
| Approved arrangement – single site | Per item | 2 500 | 2 680 | |
| Approved arrangement – multi site | Per item | 2 900 | 3 110 | |
| Approved arrangement – broker | Per item | 500 | 536 | |
| Compliance agreement – imported foods | Per item | 2 500 | 2 680 | |
| Reservation charge – horses (Includes both the importation charge and the husbandry fee for 14 days under the current arrangement) | Per animal | 3 840 | 983 | |
| Confirmation of reservation – horses | Per animal | n/a | 3 934 | |
| Reservation charge – ruminants | Per animal | 3 000 | 1 005 | |
| Confirmation of reservation charge – ruminants | Per animal | n/a | 4 019 | |
| Reservation charge – animal not covered by another item of this table (includes cat or dog) | Per animal | 1 200 | 253 | |
| Confirmation of reservation – animal not covered by another item of this table (includes cat or dog) | Per animal | n/a | 1 012 | |
| Reservation charge – bees | Per bee consignment | 2 500 | 837 | |
| Confirmation of reservation charge – bees | Per bee consignment | n/a | 3 350 | |
| Confirmation of reservation charge – avian (fertile eggs) | Per hatching egg consignment | 7 826 | 13 109 | |
| Confirmation of reservation charge – avian (fertile eggs) | Per hatching egg consignment | 31 304 | 52 434 | |
| Confirmation of reservation charge – avian (live bird) | Per live bird consignment | 2 810 | 4 707 | |
| Reservation charge – avian (live bird) | Per live bird consignment | 11 240 | 18 827 | |
| Importation charge - plants | Per m2 | 110 | 291 | |
| Fee for service – assessment, approval, inspection, treatment, and audit | In-office fee during ordinary hours of duty, including virtual inspections | Per 15 minutes | 30 | 37 |
| Out-of-office fee during ordinary hours of duty | Per 15 minutes | 50 | 62 | |
| Out-of-office fee during ordinary hours of duty | Daily | 1 000 | 1 221 | |
| Out-of-hours fees – weekdays (permit assessment only) | Per 15 minutes | 15 | 18 | |
| Out-of-hours fees – weekends (permit assessment only) | Per 15 minutes | 20 | 23 | |
| In-office fee outside ordinary hours – weekdays When activity is provided immediately before or after ordinary hours | Per 15 minutes | 45 | 55 | |
| In-office fee outside ordinary hours – weekdays When activity is not provided immediately before or after ordinary hours | Per 15 minutes | 90 | 110 | |
| In-office fee outside ordinary hours - weekend | Per 30 minutes | 100 | 120 | |
| Quarter hour rate charged for every 15 minutes or part thereof, after the first 30 minutes | Per 15 minutes | 50 | 60 | |
| Out-of-office fee outside ordinary hours – weekdays When activity is provided immediately before or after ordinary hours only | Per 30 minutes | 65 | 80 | |
| Out-of-office fee outside ordinary hours – weekdays When activity is not provided immediately before or after ordinary hours only | Per 30 minutes | 65 | 160 | |
| Out- of- office fee outside ordinary hours - weekend | Per 30 minutes | 140 | 170 | |
| Quarter hour rate charged for every 15 minutes or part thereof, after the first 30 minutes | Per 15 minutes | 70 | 85 | |
| Assessment of a permit application not completed within the initial assessment period for the application | Per 15 minutes after the initial assessment period | 30 | 37 | |
| Out-of-office permit assessment fee outside ordinary hours – weekday | Per 15 minutes | 15 | 18 | |
| Out-of-office permit fee outside ordinary hours – weekend or departmental holiday | Per 15 minutes | 20 | 23 | |
| Diagnostic testing | Per 15 minutes | 30 | 37 | |
| Fee for service – temporary storage in relation to international travellers and their baggage | Temporary storage at premises owned or managed by the Commonwealth of baggage brought into Australian territory | Per 30 days per piece of baggage | 30 | 45 |
| Fee for service – special processing areas, agreed fee in relation to international travellers and their baggage | Any period up to 3 hours during which one or more fee bearing activities are carried out | First 3 hours for each person carrying out those activities. | At least 420 but not more than 840 | At least 516 but not more than 1 032 |
| Immediately following the first 3 hours during which those activities are carried out | Per 15 minutes immediately following first 3 hours for each person carrying out those activities. | At least 35 but not more than 70 | At least 41 but not more than 86 | |
| Fee for service – husbandry | Husbandry fee – horses | Per animal per day | 60 | 0 |
| Husbandry fee – horses that overstay the initial 14-day period | Per animal per day over 14 days | 0 | 44 | |
| Husbandry fee – ruminants | Per animal per day | 60 | 101 | |
| Husbandry fee – animal not covered by another item of this table (includes cat or dog) | Per animal per day | 29 | 50 | |
| Husbandry fee – avian (fertile eggs) | Per egg consignment per day | 200 | 76 | |
| Husbandry fee – avian (consignment of birds) | Per live bird consignment per day | 150 | 57 | |
| Husbandry fee – bees | Per bee consignment monthly | 280 | 469 | |
| Husbandry fee – plants | Per m2 monthly | 20 | 60 | |
| Fee for service—assessment of permit application | Assessment Category 1 Permit application | Each application | 60 | 74 |
| Assessment Category 2 Permit application | Each application | 120 | 148 | |
| Assessment Category 3 Permit application | Each application | 240 | 296 | |
| Assessment Category 4 Permit application | Each application | 360 | 444 | |
| Assessment Category 5 Permit application | Each application | 480 | 592 |
Draft 2023-24 biosecurity cost recovery implementation statement
The draft 2023-24 CRIS contains the Minister’s approved fees and charges necessary to provide the level of regulatory activity that meets current volumes and risks. The CRIS also contains relevant information on the department’s authority to cost recover, its estimated costs, forecast volumes and cost recovery revenue for biosecurity regulatory activity. Financial tables show past performance and forecast costs for future years.
The CRIS will remain in draft until the Federal Executive Council has approved the legislative amendments which will give effect to the new fees and charges and amendments to definitions for certain regulatory activities.
The draft 2023-24 CRIS can be accessed from the review of regulatory charging for biosecurity activities page on the department’s website.
Next steps
Following approval of the legislative amendments, the final CRIS will be published on the department’s website. Industry will be advised when the final CRIS is available and the department will confirm commencement of the new fees and charges.
New fees and charges for biosecurity and imported food regulatory activities are expected to commence on 1 July 2023.
Please contact the department at: BioCRIS@aff.gov.au if you have concerns or need support managing the transition to the new price.