COVID-19 pandemic update 29 April 2022
The department paused the deployment of independent observers (IO) in March 2020 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Deployments will recommence from 1 May 2022. The department will, however, continue to monitor these restrictions and consider the safety and practicality of international travel for IOs when deciding to deploy.
Overview
Independent observers (IO) are departmental staff administered by us. They accompany voyages of livestock exported by sea.
The role of the IO incorporates assurance activities including monitoring, reviewing and/or auditing. Their focus is to verify and report on the implementation of individual exporter arrangements and their effectiveness at managing animal health and welfare.
Independent observers do not take an active role in animal management during the voyage. Their primary responsibility is to observe and document the activities undertaken by the Australian Accredited Veterinarian (AAV) or Accredited Stockperson/s in accordance with an exporter’s arrangements, and the activities undertaken to ensure the health and welfare of livestock for each livestock export consignment. Further information on the roles and responsibilities of exporters, AAVs, accredited stockpersons, master of the vessel and IO can be found on the accredited veterinarians page.
The deployment of IOs is managed in accordance with:
IOs also report on compliance with the regulatory framework.
This includes:
- the exporter’s approved arrangement (AA)
- the approved export program (AEP); and
- the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL).
IOs provide assurance of the onboard conditions and whether the exporter’s arrangements are:
- implemented; and,
- effective at managing animal health and welfare.
Information for exporters
IO deployment
You should prepare for an IO to accompany a voyage when:
- the voyage departs from ports south of latitude 26 degrees south and crossing the equator
- it is the first voyage undertaken by you following a notifiable mortality incident
- it is the first voyage of any new exporter or vessel
- the voyage is considered a long-haul voyage with any complex arrangements such as those with multiple ports of discharge, carrying buffalo or enacting management plans (e.g. heavy cattle).
We may also direct an IO to accompany other voyages. We will notify you if this is required.
Extenuating circumstances
If your voyage has extenuating circumstances that may prevent an IO being accommodated, you must contact us at least 10 business days before departure.
Email observers@agriculture.gov.au.
If you vary a notice of intention (NOI) in a way that impacts an IO being deployed, this must be done at least 10 business days before departure, unless we advise otherwise.
Export and vessel operations
If we require an IO to accompany a vessel, export and vessel operations continue as normal. AAVs and Accredited Stockpersons should perform their normal duties.
IO’s do not take an active role in animal management during the voyage. Their primary responsibility is to observe and report on the activities in an exporter’s AEP or voyage instructions as undertaken by the AAV or accredited stockperson respectively, and the activities undertaken to ensure the health and welfare of livestock for each livestock export consignment. Daily reports are submitted under ASEL by AAVs or accredited stockpersons. They provide detail on health and welfare issues during the voyage. Exporters should take timely and appropriate action in response to issues identified in these reports. They should not wait for IO reports, or the publication of summary IO reports, to act.
Fees and charges
There are fees and travel costs for having an IO accompany a vessel.
If a vessel has multiple exporters and consignments:
- fees will be based on the number of head exported by each exporter
- travel costs will be assigned equally between all exporters.
Further information can be found in our charging guidelines.
Example scenario
An example of how we charge for an IO to accompany a voyage is provided here.
An IO departs Melbourne and arrives at Broome at 4 pm on Monday 6 August for a 13-day voyage to Malaysia:
- the voyage is estimated to depart at 11 am on Tuesday 7 August
- due to unforeseen circumstances, the voyage departure is delayed until Wednesday 8 August at 10 am
- the IO provides the standard 7 hours and 30 minutes audit service each day
- the IO obtains audit support from Australia for a total of 18 x 15 minute units throughout the audit. This includes 10 x 15 minute units on weekdays and 4 x 30 minute units on weekends
- the unloading of stock is not completed until 10 pm on 20 August and the IO departs for Melbourne on the next available flight at midday on 21 August.
This is the breakdown for how the exporter is charged.
Chargeable event | Itemised charges |
---|---|
Delay at Broome – Tuesday 7 August | 1 x weekday audit rate |
13-day voyage 8 – 20 August | 9 x weekday audit rate |
4 x weekend audit rate | |
Audit support from Australia | 10 x weekday 15 minutes |
4 x weekend 30 minutes | |
International flight – Malaysia to Melbourne | Airfares |
Additional day travel to Australia | 1 x weekday audit rate |
IO reports
During and upon completion of the voyage, IOs provide detailed reporting of their observations. It covers loading of the vessel to the completion of discharge at the final destination port.
IO reports provide us with information to effectively regulate the livestock export trade.
We review IO reporting from each voyage. We identify issues that require regulatory action. If we identify significant concerns in the report, we require appropriate corrective actions to be taken by the exporter.
We apply a rigorous quality assurance process to each IO’s reporting. As part of this process, a redacted copy of the reporting is prepared for the exporter.
We publish a summary of the IO’s key observations on our website. This ensures transparency of voyage activities and animal welfare outcomes. Where possible, the IO approves the summary report prior to its publication. These provide an accurate account of what the IO has observed during the voyage.
Previous IO reports
*Report numbers are allocated at the time an IO is assigned to a voyage. Changes in circumstances may result in the IO not being deployed on the voyage.
Discretion advised: These reports contain images which may be distressing to some viewers.
Report No. | Vessel | Species and destination | Voyage date | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
219 | Al Kuwait | Sheep to Kuwait | June 2020 | Completed |
218 | Ocean Shearer | Cattle and sheep to the Middle East | March 2020 | Completed |
217 | Ocean Ute | Cattle and Buffalo to Indonesia | February 2020 | Completed |
216 | Al Shuwaikh | Sheep to the Middle East | February 2020 | Completed |
215 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to Vietnam | February 2020 | Completed |
214 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Russia | February 2020 | Completed |
213 | Ocean Drover | Cattle and sheep to the Middle East | January 2020 | Completed |
212 | Bahijah | Cattle and sheep to Israel | January 2020 | Completed |
Report No. | Vessel | Species and destination | Voyage date | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
211 | Al Shuwaikh | Cattle and Sheep to the Middle East | December 2019 | Completed |
210 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to China | December 2019 | Completed |
209 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to Vietnam | December 2019 | Completed |
208 | Ocean Shearer | Cattle to Indonesia | December 2019 | Completed |
207 | Maysora | Cattle and Sheep to Israel and Jordan | December 2019 | Completed |
206 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, UAE and Qatar | December 2019 | Completed |
205 | Girolando Express | Cattle to China | December 2019 | Completed |
204 | Ocean Drover | Cattle to Indonesia | November 2019 | Completed |
203 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Russia | November 2019 | Completed |
202 | Bahijah | Cattle to Israel | November 2019 | Completed |
201 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to China | November 2019 | Completed |
200 | Al Shuwaikh | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, UAE and Qatar | November 2019 | Completed |
199 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, UAE and Qatar | November 2019 | Completed |
198 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to China | November 2019 | Completed |
197 | Ocean Drover | Cattle to Indonesia | October 2019 | Completed |
196 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Vietnam | October 2019 | Completed |
195 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to China | October 2019 | Completed |
194 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Indonesia | October 2019 | Completed |
193 | Maysora | Cattle and Sheep to Israel and Jordan | October 2019 | Completed |
192 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to Vietnam | October 2019 | Completed |
191 | Ocean Drover | Cattle to Indonesia | October 2019 | Completed |
190 | Ganado Express | Cattle to Indonesia | September 2019 | Completed |
189 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, UAE and Qatar | September 2091 | Completed |
188 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Indonesia | September 2019 | Completed |
187 | Bahijah | Cattle to Israel | September 2019 | Completed |
186 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Indonesia and Malaysia | September 2019 | Completed |
185 | Girolando Express | Cattle to China | September 2019 | Completed |
184 | Maysora | Cattle to Indonesia | September 2019 | Completed |
183 | Brahman Express | Cattle to Indonesia | September 2019 | Completed |
182 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to China | September 2019 | Completed |
181 | Bison Express | Cattle to Indonesia | September 2019 | Completed |
180 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to Vietnam | September 2019 | Completed |
179 | Ocean Drover | Cattle to China | September 2019 | Completed |
178 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Vietnam | August 2019 | Completed |
177 | Gelbray Express | Cattle to Indonesia | August 2019 | Completed |
176 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Indonesia | August 2019 | Completed |
175 | Bison Express | Cattle to Indonesia | August 2019 | Completed |
174 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Vietnam | August 2019 | Completed |
173 | Galloway Express | Cattle to China | August 2019 | Completed |
172 | Ganado Express | Cattle to Vietnam | August 2019 | Completed |
171 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Indonesia | August 2019 | Completed |
170 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Vietnam | August 2019 | Completed |
168 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Indonesia | August 2019 | Completed |
167 | Girolando Express | Cattle and Buffalo to Vietnam | August 2019 | Completed |
166 | Gelbray Express | Cattle to China | August 2019 | Completed |
165 | Bison Express | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
164 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Vietnam | July 2019 | Completed |
163 | Ocean Drover | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
162 | Anna Marra | Cattle to China | July 2019 | Completed |
161 | Ganado Express | Cattle to Vietnam | July 2019 | Completed |
160 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
159 | Girolando Express | Cattle and Buffalo to Brunei and Malaysia | July 2019 | Completed |
158 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to Vietnam | July 2019 | Completed |
157 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
156 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
155 | Ocean Drover | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
154 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
153 | Girolando Express | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2019 | Completed |
152 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to China | July 2019 | Completed |
151 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Vietnam | June 2019 | Completed |
150 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Indonesia | June 2019 | Completed |
149 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Indonesia and Malaysia | June 2019 | Completed |
148 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to Indonesia | June 2019 | Completed |
147 | Gudali Express | Cattle and Buffalo to Vietnam | June 2019 | Completed |
146 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Indonesia | June 2019 | Completed |
145 | Bahijah | Cattle to Israel | June 2019 | Completed |
144 | Gulf Livestock 1 | Cattle to China | June 2019 | Completed |
143 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to Indonesia | June 2019 | Completed |
142 | Bison Express | Cattle to Philippines | June 2019 | Completed |
141 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to Vietnam | June 2019 | Completed |
140 | Galloway Express | Cattle to Indonesia | June 2019 | Completed |
139 | Gudali Express | Cattle and Buffalo to Indonesia | June 2019 | Completed |
138 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Vietnam | June 2019 | Completed |
137 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Vietnam | May 2019 | Completed |
136 | Ganado Express | Cattle to China | May 2019 | Completed |
135 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Vietnam | May 2019 | Completed |
134 | Gulf Livestock 1 | Cattle to Indonesia | May 2019 | Completed |
133 | Ocean Drover | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait and UAE | May 2019 | Completed |
132 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | May 2019 | Completed |
131 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Indonesia | May 2019 | Completed |
130 | Bison Express | Cattle to Malaysia and Brunei | May 2019 | Completed |
129 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Indonesia | May 2019 | Completed |
128 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to Indonesia | May 2019 | Completed |
127 | Maysora | Cattle and Sheep to Israel and Jordan | May 2019 | Completed |
126 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to Russia | May 2019 | Completed |
125 | Ganado Express | Cattle to Indonesia | May 2019 | Completed |
124 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to China | May 2019 | Completed |
123 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait and UAE | May 2019 | Completed |
122 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Vietnam | May 2019 | Completed |
121 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Indonesia | May 2019 | Completed |
120 | Girolando Express | Cattle to Vietnam | May 2019 | Completed |
119 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to China | May 2019 | Completed |
118 | Bahijah | Cattle to Israel | April 2019 | Completed |
117 | Al Shuwaikh | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait and Qatar | April 2019 | Completed |
116 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle and Buffalo to Vietnam | April 2019 | Completed |
115 | Girolando Express | Cattle to Indonesia | April 2019 | Completed |
114 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Vietnam | April 2019 | Completed |
113 | Anna Marra | Cattle and Sheep to Indonesia and Malaysia | April 2019 | Completed |
112 | Ganado Express | Cattle to Vietnam | April 2019 | Completed |
111 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to China | April 2019 | Completed |
110 | Galloway Express | Cattle to Philippines | April 2019 | Completed |
109 | Rahmeh | Cattle to China | April 2019 | Completed |
108 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Indonesia | April 2019 | Completed |
107 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Vietnam | April 2019 | Completed |
106 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to China | April 2019 | Completed |
105 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | April 2019 | Completed |
104 | Jawan | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
103 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
102 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
101 | Brahman Express | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
100 | Gelbray Express | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
99 | Al Shuwaikh | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait and Qatar | March 2019 | Completed |
98 | Maysora | Cattle and Sheep to Israel and Jordan | March 2019 | Completed |
97 | GL Kai Hou | Cattle to Vietnam | March 2019 | Completed |
96 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
95 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
94 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to China | March 2019 | Completed |
93 | Jawan | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
92 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to China | March 2019 | Completed |
91 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
90 | Girolando Express | Cattle to Indonesia | March 2019 | Completed |
89 | Dareen | Cattle to Vietnam | February 2019 | Completed |
88 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
87 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Vietnam | February 2019 | Completed |
86 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | February 2019 | Completed |
85 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Indonesia | February 2019 | Completed |
84 | Rahmeh | Cattle to China | February 2019 | Completed |
83 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | February 2019 | Completed |
82 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
81 | Jawan | Cattle to Indonesia | February 2019 | Completed |
80 | Galloway Express | Cattle and Buffalo to Indonesia | February 2019 | Completed |
79 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | February 2019 | Completed |
78 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Vietnam | February 2019 | Completed |
77 | Ganado Express | Cattle to Indonesia | February 2019 | Completed |
76 | Brahman Express | Cattle and Sheep to Israel | February 2019 | Completed |
75 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Indonesia | February 2019 | Completed |
74 | Al Shuwaikh | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | February 2019 | Completed |
73 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | January 2019 | Completed |
72 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Indonesia | January 2019 | Completed |
71 | Bahijah | Cattle and Sheep to Israel | January 2019 | Completed |
70 | Maysora | Cattle and sheep to Israel and Jordan | January 2019 | Completed |
69 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Oman and UAE | January 2019 | Completed |
68 | Jawan | Cattle to Indonesia | January 2019 | Completed |
67 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | January 2019 | Completed |
66 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Indonesia | January 2019 | Completed |
65 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Indonesia | January 2019 | Completed |
64 | Gadali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | January 2019 | Completed |
63 | Rahmeh | Cattle to Vietnam | January 2019 | Completed |
62 | Dareen | Cattle to Oman and Pakistan | January 2019 | Completed |
61 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to China | January 2019 | Completed |
Report No. | Vessel | Species and destination | Voyage date | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
60 | Ganado Express | Cattle to China | January 2019 | Completed |
59 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to China | December 2018 | Completed |
58 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to Indonesia | December 2018 | Completed |
57 | Al Shuwaikh | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | December 2018 | Completed |
56 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to China | December 2018 | Completed |
55 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to China | December 2018 | Completed |
54 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Indonesia | December 2018 | Completed |
53 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Vietnam | December 2018 | Completed |
52 | Jawan | Cattle to Oman and Pakistan | December 2018 | Completed |
51 | Dareen | Cattle Vietnam | December 2018 | Completed |
50 | Bahijah | Cattle and Sheep to Israel | December 2018 | Completed |
49 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Vietnam | December 2018 | Completed |
48 | Bison Express | Cattle to China | December 2018 | Completed |
47 | Al Messilah | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | December 2018 | Completed |
46 | Girolando Express | Cattle to Indonesia | December 2018 | Completed |
45 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to Indonesia and Malaysia | December 2018 | Completed |
44 | Rahmeh | Cattle to China | December 2018 | Completed |
43 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to Vietnam | November 2018 | Completed |
42 | Anna Marra | Cattle to Indonesia | November 2018 | Completed |
41 | Ganado Express | Cattle to Vietnam | November 2018 | Completed |
40 | Ocean Ute | Cattle to China | November 2018 | Completed |
39 | Girolando Express | Cattle to Indonesia | November 2018 | Completed |
38 | Dareen | Cattle to Vietnam | November 2018 | Completed |
37 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Indonesia | November 2018 | Completed |
36 | Al Shuwaikh | Cattle and Sheep to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | November 2018 | Completed |
35 | Rahmeh | Cattle and Buffalo to Indonesia | November 2018 | Completed |
34 | Bison Express | Cattle to Vietnam | November 2018 | Completed |
33 | Greyman Express | Cattle to Vietnam | November 2018 | Completed |
32 | Maysora | Cattle and Sheep to Jordan and Israel | November 2018 | Completed |
31 | Yangtze Harmony | Sheep to Oman | November 2018 | Completed |
30 | Galloway Express | Cattle to Indonesia | November 2018 | Completed |
29 | Bahijah | Cattle to Israel | November 2018 | Completed |
28 | Shorthorn Express | Cattle to Indonesia | November 2018 | Completed |
27 | Ganado Express | Cattle and Buffalo to Vietnam | October 2018 | Completed |
26 | Girolando Express | Cattle to China | October 2018 | Completed |
25 | Awassi Express | Cattle to Indonesia | October 2018 | Completed |
24 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | October 2018 | Completed |
23 | Ganado Express | Cattle to China | October 2018 | Completed |
22 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to China | September 2018 | Completed |
21 | Maysora | Sheep and Cattle to Israel and Jordan | September 2018 | Completed |
20 | Bahijah | Cattle to Israel | September 2018 | Completed |
19 | Ocean Swagman | Cattle to China | September 2018 | Completed |
18 | Jawan | Cattle to China | August 2018 | Completed |
17 | Gloucester Express | Cattle to China | August 2018 | Completed |
16 | Yangtze Harmony | Cattle to China | August 2018 | Completed |
15 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Indonesia | August 2018 | Completed |
14 | Jawan | Cattle to Indonesia | August 2018 | Completed |
13 | Jawan | Cattle to Indonesia | July 2018 | Completed |
12 | Yangtze Fortune | Cattle to China | July 2018 | Completed |
11 | Jawan | Cattle to Indonesia | June 2018 | Completed |
10 | Bahijah | Sheep and cattle to Israel | June 2018 | Completed |
9 | Al Messilah | Sheep and cattle to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | June 2018 | Completed |
8 | Maysora | Sheep and cattle to Turkey | May 2018 | Completed |
7 | Al Shuwaikh | Sheep and cattle to Kuwait, Qatar and UAE | May 2018 | Completed |
6 | Awassi Express | Cattle to Indonesia and Malaysia | May 2018 | Completed |
5 | Gudali Express | Cattle to Vietnam | May 2018 | Completed |
4 | Yangtze Fortune | Sheep to Oman | May 2018 | Completed |
3 | Bader III | Sheep and cattle to Israel and Jordan | May 2018 | Completed |
2 | Al Messilah | Sheep and cattle to Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and UAE | April 2018 | Completed |
1 | Maysora | Sheep and cattle to Turkey | April 2018 | Completed |