Independent observers

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:

• Export Control Act 2020
• Export Control (Animal) Rules 2021.

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.

Table 1 example scenario charging breakdown

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.