Acts, regulations, orders and standards
The Act and Regulations that relate to the issue of a livestock export licence, and Orders that relate to specific export destinations are:
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export Licensing) Regulations 1998
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Regulations 1998
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Conditions on live-stock export licenses) Order 2012
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to the Middle East) Order 2018
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East – Northern Winter) Order 2018
- Australian Meat and Live-Stock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East – Northern Summer) Order 2019
- Australian Meat and Live-Stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019
- Australian Meat and Live stock Industry Legislation Amendment (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East—Northern Summer) Order 2019
The Act and Orders that relate to the preparation of livestock for export by sea and air are:
Three declarations made under section 7.03 and section 7.04 of the Export Control Animals Order 2004 relate to countries to which ESCAS applies.
The Orders that relate to standards for the export of livestock are:
The standards that apply are the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (version 2.3) (ASEL).
ASEL sets out standards for the sourcing of export livestock, their management in registered premises, loading onto vessels, management onboard vessels and air transport.
A review of ASEL is currently underway.
Proposed changes to legislation
Export Control Amendment 2018 was introduced into the Federal Parliament on 26 June 2018. This Bill seeks to provide a modernised enforcement regime with more effective penalties.
New arrangements for sheep exports to the Middle East during the northern hemisphere summer
We have finalised the conditions for sheep exports to the Middle East for the upcoming northern summer to support animal welfare outcomes.
Following consultation and analysis of responses, the Secretary has signed an Order prohibiting sheep exports for vessels travelling to or through the Middle East from 1 June 2019 to 31 August 2019 (inclusive).
Shipments in May will require automated data logging equipment to record wet bulb temperatures and the data to be reported to us.
Arrangements for September and October will be decided at a later date following the release of the final report from the Heat Stress Risk Assessment Review and, time permitting, outcomes of a Regulatory Impact Statement process.