EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Amendment to the List of Specimens Taken to be Suitable for Live Import
in accordance with paragraph 303EC(1)(c)
Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), a live specimen is allowed to be imported only if it is included on the list of specimens suitable for live import (live import list).
The live import list was established in accordance with section 303EB of the EPBC Act and has two parts. Part 1 comprises species exempt from the need for an import permit under the EPBC Act. Part 2 comprises species that can be imported with a permit under the EPBC Act.
The purpose of this instrument is to amend the live import list pursuant to paragraph 303EC(1)(c) of the EPBC Act to change the scientific name of the dingo (currently Canis familiaris) to that which is most taxonomically correct (Canis lupus dingo).
This amendment arose as a result of advice to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts that the live import list does not include the most taxonomically correct scientific name for the dingo, as used by the Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and other taxonomical databases. The Department sought advice from its own Australian Biological Resources Study Section (ABRS) who confirmed that the live import list is indeed not using the most taxonomically correct name for this specimen. Wider consultation was not considered necessary in this instance as the amendment is required to ensure that the most taxonomically correct references are included in the live import list. The amendment does not change the application of the live import list in relation to dingos.
This instrument is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.
The instrument commenced on the day after it was registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.