Livestock and other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024

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Feedback is now closed on this consultation.

Background

The Livestock Act 2008 and Livestock Regulations 2009 (the ‘livestock biosecurity legislative framework’) is administered by the Biosecurity and Animal Welfare Branch within the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism (DITT).

The livestock biosecurity legislative framework sets out the overarching legal concepts, principles, functions and regulatory framework for the administration, protection, promotion and support of sustainable livestock and associated industries in the Northern Territory (NT). These industries are vital to the NT economy returning over $1.5 billion annually in value, and are the lifeblood of many regional communities.

Biosecurity also plays an important role in supporting and protecting a range of other significant Territory industries, including mining, petroleum, environment and lifestyle industries. Further, biosecurity underpins regional development opportunities, including Aboriginal land enterprise development.

Emergency animal disease threats like foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease continue to spread across south-east Asia and threaten the Territory’s billion dollar cattle industry.

Amendments are being undertaken to the livestock biosecurity legislative framework to strengthen our biosecurity health capabilities including the Territory’s emergency animal disease response preparedness.

Livestock and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade released the draft Livestock and other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (draft Bill) for public comment.

A summary of the proposed reforms in the draft Bill, include:

  • Ensuring the Territory has effective and efficient disease control powers to deal with a declared emergency animal disease outbreak or threat.
  • Appointment of Acting Chief Inspectors and for the provision for NT Police Officers to have the same powers of an inspector of livestock for a declared emergency animal disease control program.
  • Establishing the legislative framework for owners of livestock to develop and implement voluntary biosecurity management plans.
  • Amending the Trespass Act 2023 to capture more serious trespass offences that cause deliberate and heightened biosecurity, economic and safety risks to the Territory's agricultural sector.
  • Providing a mandatory 14-day notice requirement before an owner of livestock can enter a neighbouring property to retrieve stray livestock.
  • Modernising the regulation of honeybees and beehive registration with administrative responsibility for regulation transferred from the Chief Veterinary Officer to the Chief Health Plant Officer.
  • A number of miscellaneous amendments including:
    • clarifying the regulation making power in the Livestock Act 2008, and
    • the transfer of review jurisdiction from the Local Court to the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

An overview of the proposed changes and FAQ's have been prepared to assist you in reviewing the draft Bill. You can access and download these from the supporting documents list.

This Have Your Say consultation is now closed.

Please be aware that unless we are advised otherwise, all written comments will be treated as public documents and may be published on this website, the DITT Industry website or cited in any documents we prepare. If you do not wish for your comments to be made public, please identify this clearly in any written correspondence you provide.

Feedback is now closed on this consultation.

Background

The Livestock Act 2008 and Livestock Regulations 2009 (the ‘livestock biosecurity legislative framework’) is administered by the Biosecurity and Animal Welfare Branch within the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism (DITT).

The livestock biosecurity legislative framework sets out the overarching legal concepts, principles, functions and regulatory framework for the administration, protection, promotion and support of sustainable livestock and associated industries in the Northern Territory (NT). These industries are vital to the NT economy returning over $1.5 billion annually in value, and are the lifeblood of many regional communities.

Biosecurity also plays an important role in supporting and protecting a range of other significant Territory industries, including mining, petroleum, environment and lifestyle industries. Further, biosecurity underpins regional development opportunities, including Aboriginal land enterprise development.

Emergency animal disease threats like foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease continue to spread across south-east Asia and threaten the Territory’s billion dollar cattle industry.

Amendments are being undertaken to the livestock biosecurity legislative framework to strengthen our biosecurity health capabilities including the Territory’s emergency animal disease response preparedness.

Livestock and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade released the draft Livestock and other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (draft Bill) for public comment.

A summary of the proposed reforms in the draft Bill, include:

  • Ensuring the Territory has effective and efficient disease control powers to deal with a declared emergency animal disease outbreak or threat.
  • Appointment of Acting Chief Inspectors and for the provision for NT Police Officers to have the same powers of an inspector of livestock for a declared emergency animal disease control program.
  • Establishing the legislative framework for owners of livestock to develop and implement voluntary biosecurity management plans.
  • Amending the Trespass Act 2023 to capture more serious trespass offences that cause deliberate and heightened biosecurity, economic and safety risks to the Territory's agricultural sector.
  • Providing a mandatory 14-day notice requirement before an owner of livestock can enter a neighbouring property to retrieve stray livestock.
  • Modernising the regulation of honeybees and beehive registration with administrative responsibility for regulation transferred from the Chief Veterinary Officer to the Chief Health Plant Officer.
  • A number of miscellaneous amendments including:
    • clarifying the regulation making power in the Livestock Act 2008, and
    • the transfer of review jurisdiction from the Local Court to the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

An overview of the proposed changes and FAQ's have been prepared to assist you in reviewing the draft Bill. You can access and download these from the supporting documents list.

This Have Your Say consultation is now closed.

Please be aware that unless we are advised otherwise, all written comments will be treated as public documents and may be published on this website, the DITT Industry website or cited in any documents we prepare. If you do not wish for your comments to be made public, please identify this clearly in any written correspondence you provide.