This Part deals with assessing the level of biosecurity risk posed by a disease or pest that may be present in or on goods or premises in Australian territory.

Division   2 provides for the circumstances in which powers may be exercised under this Act (including in premises) to assess the level of biosecurity risk posed by a disease or pest that may be present in or on the goods or premises.

Division   3 sets out the powers (the biosecurity risk assessment powers) that may be exercised in relation to the goods or premises if a biosecurity officer suspects, on reasonable grounds, that a disease or pest may be present in or on the goods or premises, and the disease or pest may pose an unacceptable level of biosecurity risk.

The biosecurity risk assessment powers may be exercised for any of the following purposes:

  (a)   to establish whether the disease or pest is present in or on the goods or premises;

  (b)   if possible, to identify the disease or pest;

  (c)   to assess the level of biosecurity risk posed by the disease or pest.

Before exercising a power set out in Division   3, a biosecurity official must be satisfied of the matters referred to in section   32 (the principles).

Division   4 sets out offences that apply in relation to contraventions relating to biosecurity risk assessment powers that are exercised in accordance with a biosecurity control order (see Part   4) or a biosecurity response zone determination (see Part   5).