19/12/2023
Species: All
Countries: All
Attention
- Accredited Veterinarians (AAV)
Purpose
To inform Accredited Veterinarians (AAVs) of relevant changes to the Export Control (Animals) Rules 2021 including for AAV record-keeping requirements and changes to show cause notice periods.
Key points
- On 18 December 2023 amendments were made to the Export Control (Animals) Rules 2021 (Animals Rules). Refer to EAN 2023-26 for a summary of all amendments.
- In particular, there are a couple of changes relevant to AAVs.
Record keeping changes:
- There have been some changes to AAV record-keeping requirements to provide clarity and remove doubt, and to address gaps where requirements under the previous Export Control (Animals) Order 2004 were not included in the Animals Rules upon its initial commencement.
- These changes require AAVs to:
- keep a copy of all invoices received upon the purchase of any drugs or products to treat livestock for export. AAVs must also keep records of where and how any drugs and products were obtained if the AAV did not make the purchase themselves.
- record that they have received a copy of the relevant parts of the AEP for the particular consignment related to the activities to be undertaken by that AAV.
- The change also clarifies that AAVs must comply with relevant record keeping requirements whether they provide land-based or shipboard services.
- As with all other record-keeping requirements, AAVs must keep these records for at least 2 years. This may be audited by the department.
- Refer to Approved arrangement guidelines for the export of livestock, Approved export program guidelines for the export of livestock and Roles and responsibilities of accredited veterinarians for further information.
Changes to notice periods
- This change allows the department to provide AAVs with more time to respond to a notice of proposed variation, suspension or revocation (show cause notice) of their accreditation, in appropriate cases.
- This allows greater flexibility in circumstances that may warrant giving the AAV a longer time to respond, particularly where there are more complex issues to be addressed and to recognise public holidays.
- This is an administrative change and AAVs are not required to take any action. The change will not impact AAVs in their day-to-day operations – only if an AAV is issued with a notice to show cause why the department should not take regulatory action in relation to their accreditation (such as suspected or confirmed non-compliance).
Background
The Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control Rules 2021 (the Rules) came into effect in March 2021 as part of an initiative to strengthen Australia’s agricultural exports and market access.
Through a routine review of the Rules, the department identified necessary amendments to improve the way we regulate live animal exports, including amendments to the Animals Rules that relate to AAVs.
On 28 November 2022 the department opened consultation on the proposed amendments to the Animals Rules. The department considered all feedback received during the consultation. Refer to EAN 2022-24 for information about the consultation and for a link to the information sheet which outlined the proposed amendments to the Animals Rules.
Stacey McIntosh
Director (A/g)
Live Animal Export Branch
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Melissa D’Amico
Contact officer
Phone: (02) 6272 4581
Email livestockexp@aff.gov.au