146-2020 - Enhanced brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) heat treatment arrangements
10 September 2020
Who does this notice affect?
This notice affects biosecurity industry participants (BIPs) who heat treat imported consignments for BMSB concerns. These are BIPs that hold a class 12.3 approved arrangement (AA).
What has changed?
The department is introducing additional conditions to better manage the risk of BMSB escaping from shipping containers when BIPs are interacting with the consignment in the shipping container prior to the commencement of the heat treatment.
2020-58 - Plant Export Operations - Release of the Draft Export Control (Plants and Plant Products) Rules 2020 for the second round of consultation
9 September 2020
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise that the Draft Export Control (Plants and Plant Products) Rules 2020 has been released for the second round of public consultation until COB 5 November 2020.
145-2020 - Cat and Dog imports to Australia – impact of COVID-19 and Christmas shutdown
10 September 2020
Who does this notice affect?
This notice is for all airlines, freight forwarders, pet transport companies and importers of cats and dogs to Australia.
What has changed?
Staged restrictions in Victoria are continuing as a result of COVID-19. Despite restrictions, animals have continued to arrive into Melbourne International Airport, been collected by the department and taken to the Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) facility in Mickleham, without issue.
Working together for environmental biosecurity
Environmental biosecurity requires collaboration between governments, industry, and the community. We work with a wide variety of people across Australia for good environmental biosecurity outcomes.
We aim to develop strong, vibrant environmental biosecurity networks. The Australian Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer (ACEBO) leads this collaboration.
Failing Food Report – July 2020
Publication details
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, July 2020
This report lists food that has failed under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (IFIS).
[Expand all]
Risk food tests
We target and monitor food that poses a high or medium risk to public health. We refer 100% of risk food imports until we establish a history of compliance.
138-2020 - Register to attend the Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) 2020-21 season Industry information sessions
3 September 2020
Who does this notice affect?
Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including vessel masters, freight forwarders, treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers and principle agents— associated with importing goods that require increased intervention during the 2020-21 BMSB risk season.
Celebrating 30 years of co-operative biosecurity in northern Australia
In 2019 the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and its partners marked 30 years of continuous operations under the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS). The NAQS initiative commenced in July 1989, initially as a 3-year trial focussed on early detection of incursions of exotic pests, weeds and diseases and helping to manage the biosecurity risks associated with natural and unregulated pathways into remote northern Australia.
Supporting forestry bushfire recovery
We are helping Australia’s forestry industries recover from the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires through these 4 measures:
- Construction Softwood Transport Assistance Program
- Forestry Recovery Development Fund Program
- Forestry Transport Assistance
- Salvage Log Storage Fund
Construction Softwood Transport Assistance Program
On 20 September 2021, the Australian Government announced a new $15 million Construction Softwood Transport Assistance Program.
136-2020 - Commencement of the 2020-2021 Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) Risk Season- 1 September 2020
1 September 2020
Who does this notice affect?
Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including Master Consolidators, vessel masters, freight forwarders, treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers and principal agents—associated with shipping or importing goods that require increased intervention during the 2020-21 BMSB risk season.
135-2020 - eCert exchange for New Zealand now paperless
31 August 2020
Who does this notice affect?
Customs brokers and importers who import goods from New Zealand that require phytosanitary and/or sanitary certification.
What has changed?
Effective 31 August 2020, the department has transitioned the current eCert exchange with New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (NZ MPI) to a paperless eCert exchange. This means NZ MPI will no longer issue original paper phytosanitary or sanitary certificates.
This change applies to the following lodgement types: