BIOSECURITY ACT 2015 - SECT 393B Determining preventative biosecurity measures

BIOSECURITY ACT 2015 - SECT 393B

  (1)   This section applies for the purposes of preventing a behaviour or practice that:

  (a)   may cause a disease (other than a listed human disease), or pest, that is considered to pose an unacceptable level of biosecurity risk to enter, or emerge, establish itself or spread in, Australian territory or a part of Australian territory; or

  (b)   may contribute to a disease or pest in relation to which paragraph   (a) applies entering, or emerging, establishing itself or spreading in, Australian territory or a part of Australian territory.

Note:   For preventative biosecurity measures relating to listed human diseases, see section   51.

  (2)   The Agriculture Minister may make a determination that specifies any one or more of the following biosecurity measures to be taken by specified classes of persons:

  (a)   banning or restricting a behaviour or practice;

  (b)   requiring a behaviour or practice;

  (c)   requiring a specified person to provide a specified report or keep specified records;

  (d)   conducting specified tests on specified goods or specified conveyances.

Note:   A person who fails to comply with a biosecurity measure may contravene a civil penalty provision (see section   393C).

  (3)   The determination must specify the behaviour or practice, and the disease or pest, referred to in subsection   (1).

  (4)   A determination made under subsection   (2) is a legislative instrument, but section   42 (disallowance) of the Legislation Act 2003 does not apply to the instrument.

  (5)   A biosecurity measure must not be specified in a determination unless the Agriculture Minister is satisfied that:

  (a)   the disease or pest poses an unacceptable level of biosecurity risk; and

  (b)   the biosecurity measure is appropriate and adapted to prevent, or reduce the risk of, the disease or pest entering, or emerging, establishing itself or spreading in, Australian territory or a part of Australian territory.

Period of determination

  (6)   A determination must specify the period during which it is in force, which must not be more than 1 year.

Consultations before making determination

  (7)   Before making a determination, the Agriculture Minister must consult with:

  (a)   the Director of Biosecurity; and

  (b)   the Director of Human Biosecurity; and

  (c)   the head (however described) of the State or Territory body that is responsible for the administration of matters relating to biosecurity in each State and Territory.

  (8)   A failure by the Agriculture Minister to comply with subsection   (7) does not affect the validity of the determination.