Cost recovery - Wildlife Trade Cost Recovery Q&A

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2013
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Are fees for wildlife trade going to continue?

Cost recovery is already in place for some wildlife trade activities under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and have been increased as of 1 July 2013.

For permits where there are currently no fees, no new fees are proposed.

You can find out more about these changes by going to the wildlife trade section of our website.

What fees are proposed for wildlife trade?

Wildlife trade permit application fees changed on 1 July 2013. This is the first time fees have changed in ten years and, while they have increased, fees are still below full cost recovery.

The new fees are outlined in the table below.

Regulatory Activity New fees from 1 July 2013
Single use permits $61
Multiple consignment authority $153 per six months
Facility assessment $306
Import/Export of domesticated species (s303 FG) $306
Personal baggage permits $2 per permit
Testing permits $153
Exceptional circumstances permits $306

For details of fees for future years see:

Why were fees increased?

The cost recovery review found that in order to better reflect the cost of the service that the department provides, fees should be increased accordingly. This will also make fees more consistent with the Australian Government's Cost Recovery Guidelines.

When are fees due?

As per the previous arrangements, fees must be paid before an application is assessed.

Are there any exemptions?

Current fee exemptions for wildlife trade permits will still apply. This will include instances where the applicant is the Commonwealth or a state or territory government. There are no waiver provisions for wildlife trade permits.

The full range of exemptions for wildlife trade permits are provided in the EPBC regulations, and outlined in the Wildlife Trade Permit cost recovery impact statement 2013-2018.

Are there any other key changes proposed for wildlife trade?

Annual fee indexation has been introduced to ensure that fees are increased in line with increases in costs of delivering the services progressively over time.

What if I have other questions about the impact of cost recovery on wildlife trade permits?

If you have any additional questions, please call the department's Community Information Unit on 1800 803 772 or email your query to the Cost Recovery Mailbox at: epbc.costrecovery@environment.gov.au

If you have any questions about wildlife trade permit applications, please contact:

The Director
Wildlife Trade Regulation Section
Department of the Environment
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: (02) 6274 1900
Facsimile: (02) 6274 1921
Email: wildlifetrade@environment.gov.au