The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Inquiry on the Biosecurity Bill 2014 and related Bills. Please find the AFPA submission attached.
In summary, AFPA supports the general intent of the Bills, with a risk-based approach, focusing resources on the risks of greatest biosecurity concern, and the intent to reflect as much of current practice as possible. This provides greater flexibility and represents a more outcomes focus to the legislation. It is in industry’s and the wider economy’s best interest that the goal of the proposed Bills should be a biosecurity framework which is consistent, streamlined, flexible, clear and unambiguous, equitable, effective and efficient in order to achieve the desired outcomes at the lowest possible cost.