EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1983 NO. 70
QUARANTINE (ANIMALS) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Health
Section 87 of the Quarantine Act 1908 (‘the Act’) empowers the Governor-General to make regulations, not inconsistent with that Act, prescribing all matters which by that Act are required or permitted to be prescribed or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to that Act. In particular, the Governor-General may make regulations to provide for the examination by quarantine officers of animals for export, to provide for the granting of certificates by quarantine officers in relation to any animals or goods examined or treated by them or under their supervision, and to prescribe the fees payable in respect of examinations, services or certificates by quarantine officers and the persons by whom the fees are payable.
Animal health aspects of export inspection are carried out under the authority of the Quarantine Act 1908 and the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations for which the Minister for Health has prime responsibility. The Department of Primary Industry oversees and co-ordinates
the inspection and health certification of animals for export, but most of the actual inspections are conducted by State and Northern Territory Departments responsible for agriculture on behalf of the Commonwealth, and their costs are reimbursed by the Commonwealth.
The regulations give effect to a Government decision to introduce charges to recoup 50% of the cost to the Commonwealth of providing the animal export inspection service in conformity with policy adopted generally for export inspection services. These regulations impose a fee for service on animals inspected for export for which a certificate of health is issued. The fees are payable by the exporter.
The schedule of charges reflects the cost to the Commonwealth of providing the export inspection service for each animal category averaged across Australia.
The States and Northern Territory have agreed also to collect the fees on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Quarantine (Animals) Regulation 96A requires an animal that is a bird or a mammal to be examined prior to
export. In practice, other animals are inspected where this is required by the importing country. The regulations provide for charges to be applied to animals other than birds or mammals, where an examination has been requested by an exporter.
The regulations are expressed to come into operation on 1 July 1983.