This bill is currently before Parliament.
Industry, agriculture & resources
The bill would also enhance the administration of the ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia. by ensuring the most accurate and relevant information is available for decision-makers when they make certain decisions relating to approved arrangementsAn agreement approved under the Biosecurity Act that allows a business or other participant to manage specified biosecurity activities under agreed conditions. under the ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia., by explicitly providing applicants with an opportunity to provide their views about proposed decisions.
Existing biosecurity rules rely on the Incoming Passenger CardThe paper form incoming travellers currently use to declare customs, immigration and biosecurity information at the border. and officer interactions, limiting digital information collection and leaving applicants without a legislated chance to respond before approved-arrangement decisions. The bill lets regulationsDetailed legal rules made under authority granted by an Act, which this bill would use to set when and how traveller information must be provided. require traveller information in specified times and formats, including the digital Australia Travel DeclarationA digital declaration that lets incoming travellers provide information about themselves and their goods before or during entry to Australia., and requires a notice of intentionA notice explaining a proposed decision about an approved arrangement and giving the applicant an opportunity to respond before the final decision. before an approved-arrangement application is refused — and allows one before an arrangement is approved subject to conditions — so applicants can comment.
Australia’s biosecurity system was established under the Biosecurity Act 2015The main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia., but growing traveller numbers and reliance on Incoming Passenger Cards and officer interactions limited early, consistent digital collection of border information. The government responded by introducing a bill to support digital Australia Travel Declarations, improve targeting of biosecurity risks and strengthen applicants’ opportunity to comment on proposed approved-arrangement decisions; Hon Julie Collins MPAn elected member of Parliament; here it identifies Julie Collins as the member who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives. introduced it in the House of Representatives on 1 July 2026.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far. The only recorded parliamentary speech supports its administrative and digital changes, while a Senate committee inquiry is still underway and may identify reservations before reporting.
Hon Julie Collins MPAn elected member of Parliament; here it identifies Julie Collins as the member who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives. introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Labor.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
37 days
Updated 07 Aug 2026.
Meaning
The bill would also enhance the administration of the ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia. by ensuring the most accurate and relevant information is available for decision-makers when they make certain decisions relating to approved arrangementsAn agreement approved under the Biosecurity Act that allows a business or other participant to manage specified biosecurity activities under agreed conditions. under the ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia., by explicitly providing applicants with an opportunity to provide their views about proposed decisions.
The bill would support a seamless traveller experience, including use of the digital Australia Travel DeclarationA digital declaration that lets incoming travellers provide information about themselves and their goods before or during entry to Australia. (ATDA digital declaration that lets incoming travellers provide information about themselves and their goods before or during entry to Australia.), whilst enabling more effective identification and management of biosecurity risks at the border.
The Biosecurity Act 2015The main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia. (the ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia.) provides the regulatory framework for managing the risk of pests and diseases entering Australian territory and gives effect to Australia’s relevant international rights and obligations.
Provide flexibility for the expanded use of technologies, such as the digital ATDA digital declaration that lets incoming travellers provide information about themselves and their goods before or during entry to Australia., for collecting information and documents necessary for the assessment of biosecurity risks from persons entering Australia by aircraft or vessel.
The bill would enhance the administration of the ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia. by ensuring the most accurate and relevant information is available for decision-makers when they make certain decisions relating to approved arrangementsAn agreement approved under the Biosecurity Act that allows a business or other participant to manage specified biosecurity activities under agreed conditions. under the ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia. by explicitly providing applicants with an opportunity to provide their views about proposed decisions.
The Bill would also enhance the administration of the Act by ensuring the most accurate and relevant information is available for decision-makers when they make certain decisions relating to approved arrangements under the Act, by explicitly providing applicants with an opportunity to provide their views about proposed decisions.Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) explanatory memorandum
The Bill would support a seamless traveller experience, including use of the digital Australia Travel Declaration (ATD), whilst enabling more effective identification and management of biosecurity risks at the border.Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) explanatory memorandum
The Biosecurity Act 2015 (the Act) provides the regulatory framework for managing the risk of pests and diseases entering Australian territory and gives effect to Australia’s relevant international rights and obligations.Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) explanatory memorandum
provide flexibility for the expanded use of technologies, such as the digital ATD, for collecting information and documents necessary for the assessment of biosecurity risks from persons entering Australia by aircraft or vessel.Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) explanatory memorandum
The Bill would enhance the administration of the Act by ensuring the most accurate and relevant information is available for decision-makers when they make certain decisions relating to approved arrangements under the Act by explicitly providing applicants with an opportunity to provide their views about proposed decisions.Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) explanatory memorandum
Context
Australia’s biosecurity system was established under the Biosecurity Act 2015The main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia., but growing traveller numbers and reliance on Incoming Passenger Cards and officer interactions limited early, consistent digital collection of border information. The government responded by introducing a bill to support digital Australia Travel Declarations, improve targeting of biosecurity risks and strengthen applicants’ opportunity to comment on proposed approved-arrangement decisions; Hon Julie Collins MPAn elected member of Parliament; here it identifies Julie Collins as the member who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives. introduced it in the House of Representatives on 1 July 2026.
The Biosecurity Act establishes Australia’s border system
The ActThe main Commonwealth law for managing risks from pests and diseases entering or spreading in Australia. created the regulatory framework for managing pests and diseases entering Australia while supporting Australia’s international biosecurity obligations.
Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) explanatory memorandum ↗Rising border traffic exposes limits in existing information collection
As traveller, conveyance and cargo volumes increased, Australia continued to rely on Incoming Passenger Cards and discretionary officer interactions, making earlier digital information sharing more difficult.
Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) explanatory memorandum ↗Hon Julie Collins MPAn elected member of Parliament; here it identifies Julie Collins as the member who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives. introduces the bill
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to enable prescribed digital biosecurity information, including through the Australia Travel DeclarationA digital declaration that lets incoming travellers provide information about themselves and their goods before or during entry to Australia., and to formalise notice and response opportunities for some approved-arrangement decisions.
Hansard ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Referred to Committee (02/07/2026): Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Report due 28/08/2026
Report due 28 Aug 2026
APH bill page notesKey criticism
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far. The only recorded parliamentary speech supports its administrative and digital changes, while a Senate committee inquiry is still underway and may identify reservations before reporting.
Criticism may emerge when the Senate committee reports, but none is yet documented.
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Collins supports the bill because it modernises traveller declarations, improves border biosecurity decisions and processing, and gives industry participants a fairer and more transparent approval process.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“This bill facilitates this by delivering a more responsive biosecurity framework that meets this expectation. It enables the long-overdue transition from paper based information gathering to modern digital options such as the Australia travel declaration. It improves procedural fairness for approved arrangements with greater clarity around regulatory decisions.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee
Report due 28 Aug 2026
Referred to Committee (2 July 2026): Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Report due 28 Aug 2026
APH bill page notes