NEW biosecurity regulatory fees and charges took effect on
July 1, last month.
The federal government says it is strengthening Australia’s biosecurity system through long-term, predictable, and sustainable funding.
These changes are part of a $1.03 billion sustainable funding package that was announced in the federal Budget to maintain biosecurity policy, operational and technical functions on a sustainable basis.
The Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity and Compliance, Dr Chris Locke, said new fees and charges for importers would better reflect the cost of delivering Australian biosecurity services.
“While some importers will experience slightly larger increases in the prices, the average increase across all importers is around 28%,” said Dr Locke.
“This is expected to raise an additional $35 million in revenue in 2023-24 to recover the department’s costs of managing the risks of pests and diseases associated with overseas imports. These changes follow the first end-to-end review of fees and charges in eight years.”
New fees and charges for biosecurity regulation, including forecast costs and expected volumes, are detailed on the department’s website.
