FTA / APSA BIOSECURITY REPORT 44 03/11/26 Sponsored by Wisetech Academy

Dear *|FNAME|*

Welcome to the Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) Biosecurity Report, your one-stop update on the latest operational issues and notices issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). This report is designed to keep you informed and prepared to manage biosecurity compliance effectively in an ever-changing landscape.

This Week in Biosecurity

This week's biosecurity and trade developments had a strong operational and regulatory focus, with changes spanning Self-Assessed Clearance (SAC) interventions, cost recovery, seasonal pest measures, treatment provider compliance, approved arrangements and system availability. Export developments also included revised certification requirements and changes affecting horticultural trade.

Of particular significance, DAFF released IIAN 190-2026 on 2 November 2026 and opened public consultation on its proposed Postcode Classification and Rural Movement Policy. The consultation has potentially significant implications for customs brokers, freight forwarders, importers, shipping lines and transport operators involved in the movement of imported sea containers.

Under the proposed approach, DAFF is seeking to introduce a nationally consistent framework for managing both rural destination and rural transit pathway risks. This includes circumstances where a sea container may have a metropolitan destination but travels through an area classified as rural during its road or rail movement.
DAFF is also proposing revised postcode classifications and a new Postcode Classifications Map as the authoritative source industry would use to determine classifications and support compliance and declaration requirements. 

FTA has identified important questions about how the proposed arrangements would operate in practice, particularly where responsibility should sit for identifying and declaring a rural transit movement when the customs broker or accredited person may not have visibility or control of the subsequent physical movement of the container. Practical scenarios, including consolidated/LCL containers and metropolitan-to-metropolitan movements that necessarily transit rural-classified areas, will also require careful consideration.

FTA will be making a submission to DAFF and is actively seeking member feedback, examples and questions to inform our response. However, we strongly encourage members to also respond directly to DAFF. It is critical that the department hears firsthand from the businesses managing these container movements and understands the practical and compliance consequences of the proposed model.

DAFF's Have Your Say consultation is open from 2 November to 27 November 2026. We strongly encourage affected members to review the proposal and make a submission.

Separately a key industry development was FTA's engagement with DAFF on SAC pathway activity, biosecurity interventions and cost recovery. Following discussions with senior DAFF executives, the department confirmed that rising SAC volumes and the detection of a broad range of biosecurity risk material are driving increased intervention levels and refinement of risk profiling. DAFF is also progressing efficiency measures including detector dogs, expanded x-ray capability, modernised information systems and the Class 14.3 Approved Arrangement Proof of Concept. Industry should expect continued scrutiny of the SAC pathway as intervention activity is increasingly aligned with assessed biosecurity risk.
 
Cost recovery remains an important issue for industry. DAFF has confirmed that the existing SAC charging approach will remain in place and that alternative or differential collection models are not currently being considered. Against this backdrop, FTA continues to advocate for greater transparency, demonstrated operational efficiencies and tangible service outcomes from industry-funded biosecurity charges. DAFF's Biosecurity Funding and Expenditure Report 2025–26 provides further visibility of Commonwealth investment and expenditure across pre-border, at-border and post-border biosecurity activities.
 
On the operational front, a new fee structure for regulatory diagnostic activities commenced on 1 November 2026, moving most diagnostic activities from time-based charging to set, legislated fees. Diagnostic charges will now generally be separately itemised, providing greater price certainty and transparency for importers.
 
Seasonal pest measures were also a major focus, with the 2026-27 Burnt Pine Longicorn Beetle flight season requirements commencing on 1 November for relevant timber and timber products from New Zealand. The seasonal conditions apply to affected consignments loaded or containerised through to 30 April 2027, reinforcing the need for importers and brokers to check applicable BICON conditions before shipment.
 
Treatment provider compliance remained prominent. Premier Eco-Care Pte Ltd (AEI: SG4001SB) was suspended from DAFF's List of Treatment Providers, following two offshore provider suspensions reported in the previous week. Importers and brokers should continue to verify provider status before arranging offshore treatments.
 
In animal biosecurity, Hungary and Slovakia have been recognised as free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) following DAFF's risk assessment and technical evaluation. Eligible goods containing or derived from FMD-susceptible species may consequently resume from the applicable recognition dates, subject to remaining biosecurity conditions.
 
BICON updates also flagged a longer-term food safety change for imported pufferfish from March 2028, when pufferfish will become a risk food under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme and generally require recognised foreign government certification. A separate BICON correction removed Pennisetum japonicum from the Clonal grasses that are hosts of Xylella for nursery stock case, with no changes to import conditions or existing permits.
 
Export developments included updated official certification for table eggs and heat-treated egg products exported to New Caledonia from 5 November 2026, an update on the review of organic livestock standards, and Fiji's removal of import measures for fall armyworm affecting horticultural exports.
 
DAFF system availability was again an operational consideration, with multiple scheduled and urgent disruptions advised across the period from 29 October to 4 November. Industry participants should continue to monitor system notifications and factor potential interruptions into time-sensitive lodgements and processing.
 
Overall, this week's developments point to a broader theme of increased biosecurity intervention coupled with efforts to improve targeting and operational efficiency. For industry, the emerging SAC reform agenda will be particularly important, with FTA continuing its engagement with DAFF and ABF on risk reduction, data quality, operational efficiency and cost recovery transparency. Further detail on the SAC reform program and DAFF's Cost Recovery Maturity Program is expected through the November DCCC engagement.
 
We hope you enjoy this week's report.

Summary

Import Updates 

Import activity this week focused on new regulatory diagnostic fees, seasonal timber biosecurity measures, offshore treatment provider compliance, animal biosecurity settings and improvements to approved arrangement processes.
 
From 1 November 2026, DAFF commenced a new fee structure for regulatory diagnostic activities, with most diagnostic services moving from time-based charging to set, legislated fees. The changes are intended to provide importers with greater price certainty and transparency through separately itemised diagnostic charges.
 
Seasonal biosecurity measures also commenced for the 2026-27 Burnt Pine Longicorn Beetle flight season, affecting relevant timber and timber products from New Zealand from 1 November 2026. Importers and brokers should ensure affected consignments meet the applicable seasonal requirements.
 
Treatment provider compliance remained a focus, with Premier Eco-Care Pte Ltd (AEI: SG4001SB) suspended from DAFF's List of Treatment Providers. This follows the two provider suspensions reported last week and reinforces the need for importers and brokers to confirm treatment provider status before arranging offshore treatments.
 
DAFF also advised that Hungary and Slovakia have been recognised as free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), allowing eligible goods from FMD-susceptible species to be imported from the applicable recognition dates, subject to other biosecurity import conditions.
 
Further notices covered national arrangements for military maritime activity and the planned expansion and improvement of the Class 14.3 Approved Arrangement Proof of Concept during November 2026.
 
Overall, this week's notices reinforce DAFF's focus on biosecurity compliance, seasonal pest risk management and improved regulatory processes, while introducing changes with direct operational and cost implications for importers, brokers and other industry participants.
 

Export Updates

This week's export notices focused on updated certification requirements for egg exports to New Caledonia, the review of Australia's organic livestock standards, and simplified horticulture export requirements for Fiji.
 
From 5 November 2026, updated official export certification will apply to table eggs and heat-treated egg products exported to New Caledonia, requiring exporters to ensure consignments meet the revised certification arrangements.
 
DAFF also provided an update on the review of organic livestock standards and called for industry representatives to participate in a working group supporting the review.
 
For horticulture exports, Fiji has removed its import measures for fall armyworm, reducing specific biosecurity requirements applying to affected Australian horticultural exports to Fiji.
 

System Notifications - Outages, Service Disruptions and Restorations

This week's system notifications were dominated by scheduled outages and service disruptions across multiple DAFF systems, with maintenance activity spanning 29 October through to 4 November 2026. The notices indicate a particularly concentrated period of system maintenance between 30 October and 4 November, with both scheduled and urgent service disruptions advised.
 
Notifications included an urgent scheduled service disruption on 30 October, followed by further scheduled disruptions from 30 October to 1 November and 2 to 3 November. A further scheduled outage has been advised for 3 to 4 November, extending the potential for intermittent system availability into this week.
 
An earlier notification also advised a scheduled outage across multiple systems on 29 October, contributing to an extended period of maintenance and disruption.
 
Industry participants should continue to monitor DAFF system notifications and allow for possible system unavailability and processing delays when planning lodgements and other time-sensitive activities, particularly during the scheduled maintenance periods extending to 4 November.

 

BICON Watch - Weekly Case updates 

This week's BICON case alerts and updates focused on new regulatory diagnostic fees, commencement of New Zealand's Burnt Pine Longicorn flight season requirements, changes to FMD country recognition, and future food safety controls for imported pufferfish.

The most immediate operational changes took effect on 1 November 2026. Phase 2 of the department's revised fee structure for regulatory diagnostic activities commenced, moving most diagnostic activities for imported goods from time-based charging to set, legislated fees. Diagnostic charges will also be separately itemised and invoiced, providing greater certainty and transparency for importers, while complex or variable diagnostic work may continue to be charged in 15-minute increments plus consumables.

Also from 1 November 2026, the 2026-27 Burnt Pine Longicorn Beetle (Arhopalus ferus) flight season requirements commenced for relevant timber products from New Zealand. Seasonal conditions apply to affected consignments loaded or containerised from 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027, including logs, log cabins, oversize timber and other timber products. Consignments loaded and sealed before the commencement time are not subject to the seasonal requirements.

In animal biosecurity, Hungary and Slovakia have been recognised as free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) following a departmental biosecurity risk assessment and technical evaluation. This enables imports of eligible goods containing or derived from FMD-susceptible species to resume from the applicable recognition dates, subject to all other biosecurity conditions. Restrictions remain for goods sourced or manufactured during the earlier FMD-affected periods unless alternative risk management measures apply.

A longer-term change will affect imported pufferfish (fugu) from March 2028. Pufferfish will be classified as a risk food under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme and imports in any form will require a recognised foreign government certificate, except where pufferfish is an ingredient in another food. The change is intended to strengthen controls around the food safety risks associated with pufferfish.

Other BICON changes were administrative. Pennisetum japonicum has been removed from the Clonal grasses that are hosts of Xylella for nursery stock case after it was incorrectly included in both that case and the Plant species that are weeds case. This correction does not change import conditions or affect existing import permits.

 

Cargo Operations Snapshot

2026-2027 FTA Online CPD Training Packages

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Cargo Consultative Committee (DCCC)

• Meeting 104 2026 – Communique
• Meeting 104 2026 – Minutes

Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS):

To support customs brokers and importers in staying ahead of operational changes, we have introduced a weekly snapshot of BICON case updates issued in the past seven days. This section will highlight newly added conditions, revised import pathways, and notable treatment or permit changes that may affect lodgements and client advice.

Case Alerts:

Commencement of new fee structure for regulatory diagnostic activity

Effective 1 November 2026, the department introduced Phase 2 of its revised fee structure for regulatory diagnostic activities, primarily affecting diagnostic services for imported goods. Most diagnostic activities have moved from time-based charging to set, legislated fees, with some tests offering tiered pricing for larger batches.

Diagnostic charges will now be itemised and invoiced separately from other biosecurity charges, providing greater price certainty and transparency. Complex or variable diagnostic work may continue to be charges in 15-minute increments plus consumables.

Benefits:
The revised charging structure is expected to:

• improve alignment between charges and the services provided
• provide greater price certainty for importers
• improve transparency through activity-based charging and itemised invoices
• support more consistent charging for similar diagnostic activities
• improve the transparency and accuracy of billing
• ensure charges more accurately reflect the efficient cost of delivering regulatory diagnostic services.

The new fees apply to diagnostic activities undertaken on or after 1 November 2026 and do not apply retrospectively.
 

Commencement of 2026-2027 Burnt Pine Longicorn flight season

Effective 1 November 2026, the 2026-27 Burnt Pine Longicorn Beetle (Arhopalus ferus) flight season requirements commence for timber products exported from New Zealand. The seasonal import conditions apply to affected consignments loaded or containerised rom 1 November 2026 through to 30 April 2027. Consignments loaded and sealed before the commencement time are not subject to the seasonal requirements.

This alert applies to the following cases:

• Logs, log cabins and oversize timber
• Timber and timber products imported from New Zealand during Burnt Pine Longicorn (BPL) flight season
• Timber and timber products

 Hungary and Slovakia recognised as free from foot-and mouth disease (FMD)
 
Effective 30 October 2026, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has recognised Hungary and Slovakia as free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) following a biosecurity risk assessment and technical evaluation. Both countries have been restored to Australia's FMD-free country list, with recognition applying from 10 September 2025 for Hungary and 31 October 2025 for Slovakia.

Imports of goods containing or derived from FMD-susceptible species may now resume from the applicable recognition dates, provided all other biosecurity import conditions are met. However, restrictions remain for goods sourced or manufactured during the earlier FMD-affected periods, unless alternative risk management measures apply.
 

Changes to food safety requirements for pufferfish

From March 2028, new food safety requirements will apply to imported pufferfish (fugu) under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (IFIS). Pufferfish will be classified as a risk food, and imports in any form will require a recognised foreign government certificate, except where pufferfish is an ingredient in another food.

The changes are intended to strengthen the management of food safety risks associated with pufferfish and will affect food importers.

 

Case Changes:   
 

Removal of Pennisetum japonicum from Clonal grasses that are hosts of Xylella for nursery stock

Effective 27 October 2026, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry corrected a BICON system error by removing Pennisetum japonicum from the Clonal grasses that are hosts of Xylella for nursery stock case. The species had incorrectly appeared in both this case and the Plant species that are weeds case.

This is an administrative correction only. There are no changes to import conditions, and no existing import permits are affected. The change is relevant to importers of nursery stock.
 

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Reminder - Stay Updated on Import & Export Conditions:

Biosecurity Treatment Providers Reference Group (BTPRG)

On 1 July 2020, Freight & Trade Alliance established the Biosecurity Treatment Providers Reference Group (BTPRG) designed to provide a One Voice platform for treatment providers to engage with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to deliver nationally consistent advocacy position(s) to government to lead reform and implement best practice. You can read our terms of reference HERE.
If you would like more information, please contact John Park.  The value of the group has been acknowledged by DAFF as can be seen HERE.

As always, we encourage members to share their feedback and insights to help us identify issues and advocate for improvements on your behalf.

Lucy Robinson - Licensed Customs Broker
Head of Border, Biosecurity & Logistics - FTA / APSA

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