Last month it was announced that the 1st September 2019 implementation date for the Biosecurity Levy was now considered unachievable. There was also deep concerns expressed with the process.
Mid September the Department of Agriculture (DoA) released the “Biosecurity Imports Levy: A way forward” report.
To view the full report, please click HERE.
Two industry bodies, FTA (Freight Trade and Alliance) & the Australian Peak Shipper Association (APSA) strongly maintain that the appropriate mechanism for the collection of the levy is via the Full Import Declaration (FID) and this is reflected in the report and recommendations.
Other recommendations include:
• that the Biosecurity Levy should be subject to a Regulatory Impact Statement;
• the creation of a Biosecurity Advisory Council; and
• an annual Budget-related paper which would provide a full reconciliation of biosecurity-related revenue and expenditure and thereby assist in clarifying how funds are collected and appropriated, and where they are spent.
FTA & APSA will continue to advocate at the highest levels to ensure that the collection of the Biosecurity Levy is pragmatic, achievable and reflects commercial realities. Equally as important, we need to ensure that any additional revenues collected translate to more frontline resources for the Department of Agriculture, better service levels for our importers, exporters and logistics service providers, as well as delivering real biosecurity outcomes.
FTA & APSA will continue to work with our industry colleagues, as well as directly with Senator the Hon. Bridgett McKenzie and the Department of Agriculture on this issue and we thank them for their continuing engagement.
Source credit: FTA
