G/SPS/N/AUS/438  
 
17 November 2017  
(17-6262) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: AUSTRALIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): General importation of goods to Australia  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affect ed, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document: Exposure draft Biosecurity Amendment (Miscellaneous 
Measures) Bill 2017 . Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 12 
6. Description of content: The Australian Government, through the Department of 
Agriculture and Water Resources, has commenced consultation on an exposure draft of the 
Biosecurity Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2017 (the Bill).  
The Bill makes ame ndments to the Biosecurity Act 2015  to enhance operation of 
Australia's biosecurity framework. The measures included in the Bill will:  
 enhance information gathering powers to assist in the  management of biosecurity risk;  
 make minor and technical amendments to improve administration of the Biosecurity 
Act 2015  by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resourc es and the Department 
of Health;  
 provide an improved ability to amend legislated biosecurity import conditions in 
response to changing biosecurity risk.  
Consultation on the exposure draft commenced on 17 November 2017 and will close on 
30 January 2018. The Australian Government encourages all interested stakeholders to 
read the exposure draft and participate in the cons ultation process via 
https://haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/amendments -biosecurity -act. 
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection,  
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Code x 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  G/SPS/N/AUS/438  
 
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  [X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are av ailable: 
Biosecurity Act 2015  (available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Unknown  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : Unknown  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : Unknown  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 30 January 2018  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority,  [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
To view the exposure draft please visit:  
https://haveyoursay.ag riculture.gov.au/amendments -biosecurity -act. 
All comments and submissions on the exposure draft must be initiated through this 
service. An option for postal submissions is also provided through this service.  
All other inquiries may be directed to  
biosecuritylegislationcoordination@agriculture.gov.au.  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The Australian SPS Notification Autho rity 
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au