5 August 2024

Who does this notice affect?

This notice is for all participants involved in importing goods into Australia and their onshore management.

What has changed?

This advice clarifies acceptable behaviour when interacting with the department whether that be in person, via email, phone, text, including via the departments Cargo Online Lodgement System (COLS).

2 August 2024

Who does this notice affect?

Pre-border biosecurity treatment providers and clients in the import and shipping industries—including freight forwarders, importers, and customs brokers associated with importing goods that require brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) treatment during the BMSB risk season.

What has changed?

We are hosting our annual information sessions for pre-border treatment providers and related industry ahead of the 2024-2025 BMSB risk season.

The sessions will cover the following topics:

02 August 2024

Purpose

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses located in Victoria and Queensland to export kiwifruit to Thailand for the 2025 season, including application for accreditation of packhouse under the grower supplier model.

02 August 2024

Purpose

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise the mainland apple and pear industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses to export apples and pears to Thailand for the 2025 season, including application for accreditation of packhouses under the packhouse grower supplier model.

1 August 2024

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 principal agents—associated with shipping or importing goods subject to increased intervention during the BMSB risk season.

What has changed?

China and Republic of South Korea will be added to the BMSB target risk countries list for heightened vessel surveillance only.

31 July 2024

Purpose

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to notify industry of updates to both paper and electronic phytosanitary certificates.

Summary of changes and key points

From October 2024, our ePhyto solution will be updated. The update will allow for:

• the ePhyto solution to be rolled out to further trading partners, and
• paper certification and ePhytos to be harmonised.

From October 2024 all phytosanitary certificates will include 3 new fields:

31 July 2024

Who does this notice affect?

Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including vessel masters, freight forwarders, Master Consolidators, treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, and principal agents— associated with importing goods that require increased intervention during the BMSB risk season.

The project to include imported food safety requirements in our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) was completed on 14 June 2025.

Attention

Importers of cheese, ready-to-eat seafoods and ready-to-eat duck, and brokers acting on their behalf.

Purpose

To advise importers that the department will soon commence activities to verify Imported Food Inspection Scheme Importer Declarations.