Biosecurity Act 2015

A person is liable to a civil penalty if:

the person gives information to a biosecurity industry participant; and

the person does so knowing that the information:

is false or misleading; or

omits any matter or thing without which the information is misleading; and

the information is given in connection with biosecurity activities that are being, or are to be, carried out by the biosecurity industry participant in accordance with an approved arrangement covering the biosecurity industry participant.

Subsection (1) does not apply as a result of subparagraph (1)(b)(i) if the information is not false or misleading in a material particular.

A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in this subsection (see section 96 of the Regulatory Powers Act).

Subsection (1) does not apply as a result of subparagraph (1)(b)(ii) if the information did not omit any matter or thing without which the information is misleading in a material particular.

A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in this subsection (see section 96 of the Regulatory Powers Act).

Subsection (1) does not apply if, before the information was given by a person to the biosecurity industry participant as described in paragraph (1)(c), the biosecurity industry participant did not take reasonable steps to inform the person that the person may be liable to a civil penalty for contravening subsection (1).

A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in this subsection (see section 96 of the Regulatory Powers Act).

For the purposes of subsection (4), it is sufficient if the following form of words is used: