Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Regulation 2016
I, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret’d), Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulation.
Peter Cosgrove
Governor‑General
By His Excellency’s Command
Barnaby Joyce
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
Contents
1 Name
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Application of this instrument to Norfolk Island
5 Simplified outline of this instrument
6 Definitions
7 Meaning of biosecurity activities
8 Meaning of consignment
Part 2—Charges
9 Charges for biosecurity matters
10 Exemptions from charges
This is the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Regulation 2016.
(1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.
Commencement information | ||
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
Provisions | Commencement | Date/Details |
1. The whole of this instrument | At the same time as section 3 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 commences. | 16 June 2016 |
Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.
(2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.
This instrument is made under the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Act 2015.
4 Application of this instrument to Norfolk Island
This instrument applies in relation to biosecurity matters in relation to goods that are, or are intended to be, brought or imported into Norfolk Island on or after 1 July 2016 or a conveyance that enters Norfolk Island on or after that date.
5 Simplified outline of this instrument
This instrument prescribes the following:
(a) charges in relation to certain matters connected with the administration of the Biosecurity Act 2015;
(b) exemptions from the prescribed charges.
The prescribed charges are imposed as taxes (see the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Act 2015).
This instrument prescribes a charge only so far as that charge is neither a duty of customs nor a duty of excise within the meaning of section 55 of the Constitution. To the extent that the charge is a duty of customs, it is prescribed by the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (Customs) Regulation 2016.
In this instrument:
Act means the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Act 2015.
aircraft has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
approved arrangement has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
Australian territory has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
baggage has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
biosecurity activities has the meaning given by section 7.
biosecurity matter means a matter connected with the administration of the Biosecurity Act 2015.
Christmas Island means the Territory of Christmas Island.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands means the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
consignee, of goods brought into Australian territory from outside Australian territory, means the person who is the ultimate recipient of the goods, whether or not the person ordered or paid for the goods.
consignment has a meaning affected by section 8.
Director of Biosecurity has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
disability assistance dog means a dog:
(a) that has been professionally trained to assist a person with a disability; and
(b) that is accompanying a person with such a disability who has a certificate from a medical specialist practitioner in a speciality relevant to the disability, stating that the person requires the assistance of such a dog.
goods has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
husbandry services, in relation to an animal, eggs or a plant that is in a post‑entry quarantine facility, means activities relating to the care and maintenance of the animal, eggs, or plant (for example, transport, housing, daily monitoring, feeding, cleaning of facilities and administration of medication).
import declaration has the same meaning as in the Customs Act 1901.
port has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
post‑entry quarantine facility has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Regulation 2016.
protected zone has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
protected zone vessel has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
Torres Strait permanent biosecurity monitoring zone has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Regulation 2016.
vessel has the same meaning as in the Biosecurity Act 2015.
7 Meaning of biosecurity activities
(1) Activities to manage biosecurity risks associated with goods, premises or other things are biosecurity activities.
(2) However, biosecurity activities in relation to an animal, eggs or a plant, does not include husbandry services in relation to the animal, eggs or plant.
(1) For the purposes of this instrument, one or more animals or eggs are not a consignment unless:
(a) they are all consigned by the same person to the same consignee; and
(b) they all arrive at a post‑entry quarantine facility on the same day.
(2) To avoid doubt, for the purposes of this instrument, a single animal or egg may constitute a consignment of animals or eggs.
9 Charges for biosecurity matters
For subsection 7(1) of the Act, the charge in relation to a biosecurity matter referred to in column 1 of an item in the following table is the amount set out in, or calculated in accordance with, column 2 of the item.
Charges | ||
Item | Column 1 | Column 2 |
1 | In relation to goods that are the subject of an import declaration and that have been brought into Australian territory on an aircraft—risk profiling, surveillance, monitoring compliance and administration of other biosecurity matters | For each import declaration—$33 |
2 | In relation to goods that are the subject of an import declaration and that have been brought into Australian territory on a vessel—risk profiling, surveillance, monitoring compliance and administration of other biosecurity matters | For each import declaration—$42 |
3 | Application for a permit under section 177 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 authorising goods to be brought or imported into Australian territory | $120 |
4 | Administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to a horse or ruminant, or any other animal (other than a cat or dog) weighing more than 25 kilograms, in a post‑entry quarantine facility | For each animal—$3 000 |
5 | Administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to a cat or dog, or any other animal weighing 25 kilograms or less, in a post‑entry quarantine facility | For each animal—$1 200 |
6 | Administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to a consignment of bees in a post‑entry quarantine facility | For each consignment—$2 500 |
7 | Reservation of a place in a post‑entry quarantine facility for a consignment of live birds, and administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to the consignment | For each consignment—$2 810 |
8 | Confirmation of a reservation of a place in a post‑entry quarantine facility for a consignment of live birds, and administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to the consignment | For each consignment—$11 240 |
9 | Reservation of a place in a post‑entry quarantine facility for a consignment of birds’ eggs for hatching, and administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to the consignment | For each consignment—$7 826 |
10 | Confirmation of a reservation of a place in a post‑entry quarantine facility for a consignment of birds’ eggs for hatching, and administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to the consignment | For each consignment—$31 304 |
11 | Administration and management of biosecurity activities in relation to a plant, or plants, in a post‑entry quarantine facility | For each square metre, or part of a square metre, of space occupied by the plant or plants for each month or part of a month—$110 |
12 | Application for approval of a proposed arrangement under section 405 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 | $180 |
13 | Development of a proposed arrangement that is approved under section 406 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 and management of the approved arrangement | For each financial year, or part of a financial year, during which the arrangement is in force: (a) if the arrangement was in force on or before 1 January in the financial year—$2 900; or (b) if the arrangement is first approved after 1 January in the financial year—$1 450 |
14 | In relation to the first mooring of a vessel at a port in Australian territory after the vessel enters Australian territory—risk profiling, surveillance, monitoring compliance and administration of other biosecurity matters | For each vessel: (a) that is 25 metres or more long—$720; or (b) that is less than 25 metres long—$100 |
Note: A person may be exempt from liability to pay the charge prescribed by item 12 or 13 of the above table (see section 10).
General
(1) For section 10 of the Act, the charge prescribed in relation to a biosecurity matter by section 9 of this instrument is not payable if the biosecurity matter relates to:
(a) goods brought or imported into Australian territory:
(i) for the official use of a diplomatic mission in Australian territory; or
(ii) for the personal use of a diplomatic agent of the mission; or
(iii) for the personal use of a member of the diplomatic agent’s family, if the person forms part of the diplomatic agent’s household and is not an Australian citizen; or
(b) goods brought or imported into Australian territory for the personal use of a member of the administrative or technical staff (the staff member) of a diplomatic mission at the time of first placement, if the staff member is neither an Australian citizen nor permanently resident in Australia; or
(c) goods brought or imported into Australian territory for the personal use of a member of the staff member’s family at the time of first placement, if the person forms part of the staff member’s household and is neither an Australian citizen nor permanently resident in Australia; or
(d) conveyances or equipment used by the defence force of a foreign country that is engaged in a combined military activity if the Australian Defence Force has informed the Director of Biosecurity; or
(e) a disability assistance dog brought or imported into Australian territory; or
(f) the examination of baggage that is brought or imported into Australian territory on the same aircraft or vessel as the owner of the baggage or the person who brought or imported the baggage; or
(g) the screening or inspection of mail that arrives in Australian territory.
Biosecurity matters carried out in, or in relation to goods, conveyances or other things brought or imported into, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island or Cocos (Keeling) Islands
(2) For section 10 of the Act, the charge prescribed in relation to a biosecurity matter by section 9 of this instrument is not payable if the biosecurity matter relates to:
(a) goods that are, or are intended to be, brought or imported into Norfolk Island, Christmas Island or Cocos (Keeling) Islands; or
(b) an application for approval, under section 405 of the Biosecurity Act 2015, of a proposed arrangement that provides for a person to carry out activities to manage biosecurity risks associated with specified goods, premises or other things in Norfolk Island, Christmas Island or Cocos (Keeling) Islands; or
(c) the development of a proposed arrangement, that is approved under section 406 of the Biosecurity Act 2015, that provides for a person to carry out activities to manage biosecurity risks associated with specified goods, premises or other things in Norfolk Island, Christmas Island or Cocos (Keeling) Islands and management of the approved arrangement; or
(d) conveyances that are in Norfolk Island, Christmas Island or Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Note: This section applies in relation to biosecurity matters in relation to goods that are, or are intended to be, brought or imported into Norfolk Island on or after 1 July 2016 or a conveyance that enters Norfolk Island on or after that date (see section 4).
Biosecurity matters relating to goods or vessels moving from the protected zone or the Torres Strait permanent biosecurity monitoring zone to certain other parts of Australian territory
(3) For section 10 of the Act, the charge prescribed by item 3 of the table in section 9 of this instrument is not payable in relation to an application for a permit under section 177 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 authorising goods to be brought or imported:
(a) from a part of Australian territory specified in column 1 of item 9 of the table in section 5 of the Biosecurity (Movements between Parts of Australian Territory) Declaration 2016 into a part of Australian territory specified in column 2 of that item; or
(b) from a part of Australian territory specified in column 1 of item 10 of the table in section 5 of the Biosecurity (Movements between Parts of Australian Territory) Declaration 2016 into a part of Australian territory specified in column 2 of that item; or
(c) from a part of Australian territory specified in column 1 of item 11 of the table in section 5 of the Biosecurity (Movements between Parts of Australian Territory) Declaration 2016 into a part of Australian territory specified in column 2 of that item.
(4) For section 10 of the Act, the charge prescribed by item 14 of the table in section 9 of this instrument is not payable in relation to:
(a) the mooring of a vessel at a port in a part (the destination part) of Australian territory specified in column 2 of item 10 of the table in section 5 of the Biosecurity (Movements between Parts of Australian Territory) Declaration 2016 after the vessel entered the destination part in the course of a voyage from a part of Australian territory specified in column 1 of that item; or
(b) the mooring of a vessel at a port in a part (the destination part) of Australian territory specified in column 2 of item 11 of the table in section 5 of the Biosecurity (Movements between Parts of Australian Territory) Declaration 2016 after the vessel entered the destination part in the course of a voyage from a part of Australian territory specified in column 1 of that item.
Mooring of protected zone vessels
(5) For section 10 of the Act, the charge prescribed by item 14 of the table in section 9 of this instrument is not payable in relation to a protected zone vessel.
Application for approval of proposed arrangement to carry out biosecurity activities
(6) For section 10 of the Act, a person is not liable to pay the charge prescribed by item 12 of the table in section 9 of this instrument in relation to an application referred to in that item if the person is:
(a) covered by an approved arrangement; or
(b) a party to a compliance agreement in force under section 35A of the Imported Food Control Act 1992.
Management of an approved arrangement
(7) For section 10 of the Act, a person is not liable to pay the charge prescribed by item 13 of the table in section 9 of this instrument for a financial year, or a part of a financial year, in relation to an approved arrangement if the person has paid any of the following:
(a) the charge prescribed by item 13 of the table in section 9 of this instrument for that financial year, or that part of the financial year, in relation to another approved arrangement;
(b) the charge prescribed by item 13 of the table in section 9 of the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (Customs) Regulation 2016 for that financial year, or that part of the financial year, in relation to another approved arrangement;
(c) the charge prescribed by item 2 of the table in section 6 of the Imported Food Charges (Imposition—Customs) Regulation 2015 for that financial year or that part of the financial year;
(d) the charge prescribed by item 2 of the table in section 6 of the Imported Food Charges (Imposition—General) Regulation 2015 for that financial year or that part of the financial year.