INQ148

Recommendations for this Inquiry

INQ-ref REC-UID CODE SubCode SrcNUM Recommendation
INQ148 REC148-3148 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 1

That the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry designate, without delay, a Senior Executive Service officer to be primarily responsible and accountable for the importation of horses into Australia and to that end to have the power to exercise all necessary authority.<

INQ148 REC148-3168 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 21

That each government controlled and operated quarantine station have sufficient staff to carry out properly all activities and measures required by the current operating procedures dealing with the quarantine of horses.

INQ148 REC148-3169 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 22

That the budgets for airport reception of horses and government controlled and operated quarantine stations be determined so as to be sufficient to fund the operations of the Quarantine Stations in accordance with these recommendations and any further procedures and requirements that are laid dow

INQ148 REC148-3170 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 23

That the officer responsible for the importation of horses arrange for Biosecurity Australia to conduct within six months, an inspection and review of the process of horse importation from the time horses arrive in Australia until the completion of their post-arrival quarantine in order to:

INQ148 REC148-3171 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 24

That the operating procedures require that there be identified a person who has overall responsibility for the various clearance procedures and biosecurity tasks to be performed in the course of unloading horses at an airport and transferring them to a quarantine station.

INQ148 REC148-3172 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 25

That the operating procedures require that the manager of a quarantine station be responsible for ensuring that a written report on compliance with procedures is prepared and reviewed daily and that any non-compliance and corrective action are recorded.

INQ148 REC148-3173 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 26

That the operating procedures require that the duties of any people responsible for maintaining 24 hour security at a quarantine station (whether they be AQIS officers or private contractors) are recorded in writing and that those people have received training in relation to biosecurity risks suf

INQ148 REC148-3174 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 27

That the operating procedures require, as a condition of entry for all non- AQIS personnel to a quarantine station, that each person report any suspected breach (by that or any other person) of quarantine procedures in the quarantine station and that a person may be excluded from entry to a quara

INQ148 REC148-3175 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 28

That the officer responsible for the importation of horses arrange for Biosecurity Australia to review, at least once every two years, the operating procedures to ensure that they adequately identify and manage the risk of entry and spread of equine influenza associated with the importation of ho

INQ148 REC148-3176 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 29

That there be prepared operating procedures or a manual that:
(a) clearly sets out the procedures to be implemented by AQIS personnel at each stage of the importation process, including the documentation that must be completed at each stage

INQ148 REC148-3177 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 30

That the officer responsible for the importation of horses ensure that:

INQ148 REC148-3178 A - Responsibility 38 - Agency/Department Reporting Recommendation 31

That the officer responsible for the importation of horses prepare a report to the Executive Director of AQIS that:
(a) identifies (by category) all non-AQIS personnel involved in the importation of horses, including post-arrival quarantine, from countries other than New Zealand

INQ148 REC148-3179 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 32

That the import conditions for horses include that the nasopharyngeal swabs taken within 24 hours of arrival and five days after the last horse arrives in post-arrival quarantine be divided and the swabs made subject to a quantitative PCR test and a ‘rapid’ immuno-assay test to detect influenza A

INQ148 REC148-3180 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 33

That the import conditions for horses include that each horse be tested for equine influenza as close as practicable before the end of the quarantine period and that a negative result for that test be available before the horse may be released from quarantine.

INQ148 REC148-3181 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 34

That Biosecurity Australia undertake and complete within 12 months a non-regulated but formal import risk analysis relating to the importation of horses from the countries and regions from which Australia currently permits such importation, and make such recommendations for any changes to policie

INQ148 REC148-3182 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 35

That Biosecurity Australia review that formal import risk analysis at least once every two years to take into account any relevant developments in scientific knowledge—specifically testing methods, vaccines, vaccination procedures and other matters that affect biosecurity.

INQ148 REC148-3183 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 36

That the Quarantine Act 1908 be reviewed in order to identify amendments necessary to ensure that the Act clearly and adequately confers all relevant powers to ensure the biosecurity of horse importation and quarantine and to give effect to these recommendations.

INQ148 REC148-3184 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 37

That the fees charged in relation to the importation and quarantining of horses be reviewed and fixed without delay having regard to the following factors:

INQ148 REC148-3167 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 20

That the facilities at Eastern Creek and Spotswood Quarantine Stations be reviewed by AQIS in consultation with experts in biosecurity and interested parties including state and territory governments, import agents, veterinarians, farriers, operators of private quarantine stations, and representa

INQ148 REC148-3166 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 19

That, in the absence of other satisfactory government controlled and operated post-arrival quarantine stations becoming available before the options to renew the leases of Eastern Creek and Spotswood Quarantine Stations expire, those options be exercised.

INQ148 REC148-3149 A - Responsibility 38 - Agency/Department Reporting Recommendation 2

That there be established the position of Inspector General of Horse Importation, the duties of that position being:

INQ148 REC148-3150 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 3

That the position of Inspector General of Horse Importation:
(a) have such powers and authority and be subject to all protections necessary to enable the performance and discharge of the duties set out above
(b) be terminated after five years

INQ148 REC148-3151 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 4

That the person holding the position of Inspector General of Horse
Importation:
(a) be appointed by the Governor-General in Council following public advertisement

INQ148 REC148-3152 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 5

That the person holding the position of Inspector General of Horse Importation may be removed in the following circumstances only:
(a) automatically
(i) on bankruptcy or on an application to take the benefit of a law for
the relief of bankruptcy

INQ148 REC148-3153 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 6

That premises be used for pre-export quarantine only if they have been approved by the officer responsible for the importation of horses and only if they have adequate biosecurity precautions that are the subject of documented procedures that can be audited.

INQ148 REC148-3154 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 7

That the officer responsible for the importation of horses arrange for Biosecurity Australia or another qualified body to inspect and review the activities and events that occur from the time horses enter pre-export quarantine until the time they arrive at an airport in Australia, in order to ide

INQ148 REC148-3155 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 8

That the import conditions for horses include that a blood sample be taken while a horse is in pre-export quarantine. Part of the sample is to be retained in the country of export and another part of that sample is to be transported to Australia, preferably with the horse.

INQ148 REC148-3156 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 9

That the import conditions for horses include that the horse be tested for equine influenza at a time as close as practicable to the end of the pre- export quarantine period.

INQ148 REC148-3157 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 10

That the import conditions for horses include that the operations and procedures at the pre-export quarantine premises may from time to time, be inspected and audited by or on behalf of the Australian Government.

INQ148 REC148-3158 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 11

That the import conditions for horses specify, based on advice from Biosecurity Australia that is reviewed at least annually, the vaccines for equine influenza to be administered to horses before they are exported, taking account of the countries or regions from which the horses are exported.

INQ148 REC148-3159 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 12

That the import conditions for horses specify that there be available for inspection at the port of loading and produced on the horse’s arrival in Australia, certification (including in electronic form) that the horse has been vaccinated, has had a blood sample taken during pre-export quarantine,

INQ148 REC148-3160 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 13

That, before a horse is loaded on to an aircraft or vessel for carriage to Australia, AQIS verify that there exists such certification as is required by its import conditions up to the time the horse arrives at the airport of departure and that the horse complies with those conditions.

INQ148 REC148-3161 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 14

That the facilities for unloading and transferring of horses at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport be upgraded without delay, following the advice of experts in biosecurity containment, so as to enable appropriate biosecurity precautions to be taken effectively and to minimise the risk of injury to

INQ148 REC148-3162 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 15

That facilities for the unloading and transferring of horses at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne be constructed urgently, upon advice of experts in biosecurity containment, to enable adequate biosecurity precautions to be taken effectively and to minimise the risk of injury to horses and those ha

INQ148 REC148-3163 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 16

That there be provided without delay at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) and Tullamarine Airports facilities to enable people who might have had contact with imported horses to shower and change their clothes, under supervision, before leaving the airport.

INQ148 REC148-3164 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 17

That there be similar facilities for the unloading and transfer of horses at any other airport in Australia that might receive horses imported from places other than New Zealand.

INQ148 REC148-3165 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 18

That there continue to be in Australia government controlled and operated post-arrival quarantine stations for horses.

INQ148 REC148-3185 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 38

That, until the review of those fees has been completed, the fee charged by the government controlled and operated quarantine stations for thoroughbred stallions temporarily imported into Australia be not be less than $165.00 plus GST a day and the fee for all other horses be not less than $65.00