Sydney, Autralia
May 19, 2006
USDA/FAS GAIN report AS 6030
Report Highlights
Biosecurity Australia is
conducting a review of the list of plant seeds that are
allowed entry to Australia, known as the permitted seeds
list. The review involves replacing 2913 genus-level
listings, currently on the permitted seeds list, with the
species within those genera that are already present in
Australia.
Biosecurity Australia (BA) is
conducting a review of the list of plant seeds that are allowed
entry to Australia, known as the permitted seeds list (Schedule
5 of the Quarantine Proclamation 1998). The review involves
replacing 2913 genus-level listings, currently on the permitted
seeds list, with the species within those genera that are
already present in Australia.
The review of the permitted seeds
list is intended to protect Australia's pest and disease free
status, by not permitting exotic weedy species into the country,
while also complying with international obligations by ensuring
that species already present in Australia and not under official
control are not prohibited.
Biosecurity Australia is inviting
stakeholders to comment on a list of species thought to be in
Australia and proposed to remain on the permitted seeds list.
Please note that Biosecurity
Australia intends to keep the family Orchidaceae on Schedule 5
of the Quarantine Proclamation 1998 (permitted seeds list).
However, all current genera within the family Orchidaceae will
be removed as they are already permitted under the family-level
listing.
The removal of genus-level entries
from the permitted seeds list is not a blanket exclusion of
those species that are not included on the permitted seeds list.
Importers can approach AQIS and seek a Weed Risk Assessment on
any plant species to determine its weed risk to Australian
agriculture and/or the environment. Provided the assessment
concludes the weed potential is low and there are no other
quarantine concerns the species would be added to the permitted
seeds list and imports allowed.
To streamline the review process,
Biosecurity Australia has developed a website that will allow
users to view the list of species, and submit comments online.
The web site includes more detailed information on the review
and can be accessed at:
http://www.daff.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=B85A9DF7-7A0C-44AFB14EAD3F93A18DFD.
Please note this web site will
only be accessible for the 60-day consultation period between 15
May 2006 and 14 July 2006.
Each stakeholder can only make one
submission, however the electronic system allows your work to be
saved as you progress through the comment process and return to
the same place as often as you require before it is finally
submitted to BA. To make a comment, you will have to register as
a stakeholder which can be done through the above website. You
will be given a unique username and password to log into the
system. Once you have completed your comments, your password
will be automatically de-activated and you will be unable to
make further comments. Further details are available on the
website. Please direct any questions about the permitted seeds
list review by email or letter to:
Permitted Seeds List Review
Biosecurity Australia
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia
Ph: +61 2 6272 5094
Fax: +61 2 6272 3307
Email:
permittedseedslist@daff.gov.au
Stakeholders are advised that,
subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy
Act 1988, all submissions received will be publicly available
and may be listed or referred to in any papers or reports
prepared on the subject matter.
The Commonwealth reserves the
right to reveal the identity of a respondent unless a request
for anonymity accompanies the submission. Where a request for
anonymity does not accompany the submission the respondent will
be taken to have consented to the disclosure of his or her
identity for the purposes of Information Privacy Principle 11 of
the Privacy Act 1988.
The contents of the submission
will not be treated as confidential unless they are marked
'confidential' and they are capable of being classified as such
in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Source document:
http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200605/146187787.pdf
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