15 July 2025
Who does this notice affect?
All persons who currently bring in or import live animals or animal products e.g. meat, into Christmas Island or the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
What is happening?
To effectively safeguard the biosecurity of the islands, we are considering amending existing measures to manage the biosecurity risk of imported goods to an acceptable level. We also acknowledge the islands’ unique needs and recognise the reliance on imports, particularly food.
The department have completed an initial review of the current measures for bringing or importing live animals and animal products into Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Our review informed the development of the potential measures which are being considered.
The potential measures are for information and feedback only to help us assess their practicality and inform the next steps in policy development. This includes the preparation of risk assessments for bringing in or importing goods into the islands.
The potential measures aim to support the bringing in or importation of goods, while managing biosecurity risk. The changes being considered can be categorised as:
- Changing the measures for bringing in or importing of beef, lamb and goat meat, noting the absence of livestock on the islands.
- Maintaining current measures for chicken meat, eggs, feathers etc, given the islands’ significant bird populations.
- Changing the measures for the bringing in or importing of aquatic animals, e.g. prawns, noting the islands’ extensive marine environment.
The potential measures will be published in BICON for feedback on Tuesday 15 July 2025. To view these measures please select ’Advanced Search’ and then either ’Christmas Island’ or ’Cocos Islands’.
The potential measures are for consultation purposes only. They are subject to changes that could result from consultation process and policy development. Potential measures cannot be used to facilitate the bringing or importing of any goods into Christmas Island or the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
We are seeking public feedback on the potential measures presented in BICON via our Have Your Say platform. This public consultation period will end at 5:00pm (AEST) on Tuesday 26 August 2025.
What happens next?
Your feedback and submissions will be considered once this consultation period is concluded. The responses received will inform the next steps of policy development for the bringing in or importing of live animals and animal products into Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
More information can be found by visiting our Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands page.
Please email iot@aff.gov.au if you have any questions.