Members may have seen the Four Corners episode on Monday night which exposed a number of claimed breaches of Australia's biosecurity.
The full episode is available HERE.
The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) has provided a response to some of the claims made in that program. A media release with their response is available HERE
It is not appropriate for Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) or the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) to comment on the specific allegations made in the program. We do however wish to make our position known as two leading industry representative bodies.
FTA / APSA acknowledge the significant industry engagement that we have received from DAWR in recent months. Senior executives from DAWR have been generous with their time, they acknowledge the need for improvement and are focused on solutions.
We believe joint reform initiatives being developed by DAWR, the Australian Border Force (ABF) and other government agencies are paramount to our members success and the facilitation of legitimate international trade.
The expansion of the Approved Arrangements compliance model presents significant benefits and risks for the sector. For this reason, DAWR needs to continue engagement with industry in the co-design of future compliance models, including introducing "incentives" for good compliance.
We believe the integrity, professionalism and trust that we have built over many years holds us in good stead and should not to be torn down by the actions of a minority.
If deliberate criminal or illegal activities exist, we will work with and assist government as a whole to stamp this out.
FTA / APSA will continue to focus on industry education, advocacy and partnerships with our members and all areas of government "to establish a global benchmark of efficiency in Australian border related security, compliance and logistics activities".
Our ongoing consultative approach with Government is working and we want to build on that for the benefit of all members going forward.
Andrew Crawford - FTA / APSA