Monday, March 10, 2025
All internal and external stakeholders who may require Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regulatory services across southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Communities across south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales continue to experience severe weather, including heavy rainfall and strong winds from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The weather conditions and flooding are impacting the department's ability to maintain biosecurity documentary assessment, booking and inspection services.
Like the broader community, impacts are wide ranging with some departmental officers being cut off by flood waters while others have no power and cannot deliver regulatory functions remotely.
The department anticipates weather conditions may impact the integrity of stored goods held under biosecurity control and the ability to access some inspection locations.
The inability to access department offices and inspection locations due to flooding or otherwise access power means delays can be expected.
Department resources conducting import and export inspection regulatory services across impacted regions will be diverted to assist with reallocating inspection appointments to the next available date, and prioritising urgent biosecurity inspections including for perishable goods, where it is safe to do so.
The department is contacting premises to determine if inspections can go ahead.
Department resources across the country are being diverted to assist with surge capacity where possible, particularly with assessment functions and imported food label visual virtual inspections.
The department will continue to actively monitor the weather event and provide further advice as things change. If weather conditions permit, department resources will be deployed to undertake inspections, where safe to do so.
The department continues to request approved arrangement premises notify the department if goods held under biosecurity control have sustained damage and /or if their facilities and infrastructure have been impacted by the weather event.
Where possible, please email notification to agriccc@aff.gov.au including "TC ALFRED IMPACT NOTIFICATION- [LOCATION]" in the subject field of the email.
For further general information about this Import Industry Advice Notice, please contact the department on 1800 900 090.
For information on Regulatory Services preparedness for Tropical Cyclone Alfred visit:
59-2025: Regulatory Services preparedness for Tropical Cyclone Alfred - DAFF
65-2025: Regulatory Services Recovery Preparedness following Tropical Cyclone Alfred - DAFF