Sausage casings - decision on conditions

IMPORT RISK ANALYSIS: SAUSAGE CASINGS

This Animal Quarantine Policy Memorandum (AQPM) provides final quarantine requirements for the importation of sausage casings. The appeal period closes on 25 February 2000.

Under the import risk analysis (IRA) procedures the Executive Director of AQIS has considered the final IRA paper and agreed to the requirements set out in the attached conditions for the importation of sausage casings (Attachment A).

AQPM 1998/85 presented the draft report of an import risk analysis (IRA) and proposed amended quarantine requirements for importation.  AQIS received comment from 12 stakeholders on the draft IRA paper.  Comments on the IRA report and the proposed requirements were generally very supportive with all respondents indicating they considered the proposed risk management measures addressed the risks of introduction of exotic pests and diseases.

AQIS has carefully considered all comments, further discussed risks with relevant experts, and amended the IRA as appropriate. AQIS concludes that the amended import requirements incorporate sufficient safeguards against the entry of disease agents and pests of quarantine concern. The finalised import requirements presented with this AQPM are therefore not very different from the requirements proposed in the draft IRA report.  Attachment B summarises stakeholder comments and AQIS’s responses.

Next Steps

This AQPM advises the final conditions endorsed by the Executive Director of AQIS.  Stakeholders may appeal against the process followed for this IRA by writing to:

Mr Michael Taylor
The Secretary
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601

Appeals should be received by close of business on 25 February 2000.  If there are no appeals, the attached conditions will be adopted on 3 March 2000.  AQIS will issue a further AQPM advising adoption or, alternatively, that an appeal has been received.  All inquires should be directed to the officer whose contact details appear below.

Confidentiality

Respondents are advised that, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1982, all submissions received in response to Animal Quarantine Policy Memoranda will be publicly available and may be listed or referred to in any papers or reports prepared on the subject matter of the Memoranda.

The Commonwealth reserves the right to reveal the identity of a respondent unless a request for anonymity accompanies the submission.  Where a request for anonymity does not accompany the submission the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of his or her identity for the purposes of Information Privacy Principle 11 of the Privacy Act.

The contents of the submission will not be treated as confidential unless they are marked ‘confidential’ and they are capable of being classified as such in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.

David Banks
Acting Assistant Director
Animal Quarantine Policy Branch

Contact Officer: Warren Vant
Telephone no: 02 6272 3933
Facsimile no: 02 6272 3399
E-mail: Animal