28 March 2023
Who does this notice affect?
All importers and customs brokers who currently lodge imported cargo documentation.
Background
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s purpose is to safeguard and grow sustainable agriculture, fisheries, and forestry for all Australians. We deliver our regulatory activities as efficiently as we can. In line with government charging policy, where possible we recover the cost of these regulatory activities from individuals and businesses who create the need for the activity and use our services.
Our fees and charges were last reviewed in 2015. Since then, the Australian and global economies have changed significantly. Biosecurity threats and risks have increased.
Current fees and charges no longer cover the cost of our biosecurity regulatory effort. Aligning our fees and charges with the actual cost to deliver biosecurity activities is an important first step in developing a sustainable funding and investment model for biosecurity.
What has changed?
We continue to undertake all our regulatory activities as efficiently as possible, including actively using overtime arrangements to facilitate clearances, but only where it is industry requested and the overtime fees and charges are accepted and can be appropriately recovered.
What do you need to do?
The department’s business hours are 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Documents may be assessed outside business hours subject to officer availability and acceptance of the cost. Please note where officer availability is limited, perishable and some emergency services goods will be prioritised first.
Requests to have documents assessed outside business hours must be made using this form.
Request to have import documents assessed outside business hours (PDF 280 KB)
You must submit this form by 11 am on the business day that falls before you require the documents to be assessed.
Charges will be applied in accordance with the Charging Guidelines.
Further information
Please refer to the department’s website for further details on this.