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Chapter 4, Part 5 - Ship sanitation

The formal consultation process on the draft legislation closed on 24 October 2012. All the submissions made as part of the initial phase of the consultation were considered and where appropriate amendments were made to the draft legislation.

The Biosecurity Bill 2012 and the Inspector-General of Biosecurity Bill were introduced into Parliament on 28 November 2012.

The fourth chapter of the Biosecurity Bill is one of four chapters that relate to human health provisions of the Bill.

Ship sanitation

Biosecurity Bill 2012, Chapter 4, Part 5 - Ship sanitation (PDF 230 KB)

Biosecurity Bill 2012, Chapter 4, Part 5 - Ship sanitation (Word 122 KB)

Summary

Overview of Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of the Biosecurity Bill 2012 (the Bill) outlines the powers of biosecurity officers in relation to managing the biosecurity risks associated with conveyances entering into Australia’s jurisdiction from overseas, installations and any interactions between conveyances and/or installations. Conveyances is a term used in the Bill to broadly refer to any vessel, aircraft, vehicle, or train (including railway rolling stock).

This chapter will also replace the first ports provisions in the Quarantine Act 1908 with a first points of entry scheme. First points of entry are ports or landing places where people, goods, vessels and aircraft first enter Australia from overseas.

Ship Sanitation Certificate Scheme

The Ship Sanitation Certificate Scheme is a requirement of the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR), to which Australia is a signatory. The scheme seeks to control the international spread of disease through the surveillance and inspection of international shipping. Ship Sanitation Certificates provide an indication of the sanitary conditions onboard a vessel, and are used to inform officers prior to, and during the inspection of a vessel when it arrives in Australia.

The Ship Sanitation Certificate Scheme under the Biosecurity Bill will provide for the inspection of ships and issuance of internationally recognised Ship Sanitation Certificates, and establish a scheme for addressing any human biosecurity risks associated with international vessels.

This summary relates only to the ship sanitation provisions of the Bill. For the full summary including provisions relating to animal and plant pests and diseases, visit the DAFF Biosecurity Legislation website.