Biosecurity Act 2015

This section applies for the purposes of determining whether a person is a fit and proper person for the purposes of the following sections:

section 179 (Director of Biosecurity may grant permit to bring in or import goods);

section 406 (deciding whether to approve proposed arrangement);

section 413 (varying approved arrangement);

section 418 (suspending approved arrangement);

section 423 (revoking approved arrangement);

any other provisions of this Act prescribed by the regulations.

If the Director of Biosecurity or the Director of Human Biosecurity determines that a person is not a fit and proper person under this section, the Director may:

refuse to grant a permit or approve a proposed arrangement (see subsections 179(1) and 406(2)); or

vary, suspend or revoke an approved arrangement (see subsections 413(1), 418(1) and 423(1)).

In determining whether the person is a fit and proper person, the Director of Biosecurity or the Director of Human Biosecurity must have regard to the following matters:

whether the person, or an associate of the person, has been convicted of an offence against, or ordered to pay a pecuniary penalty under, any of the following Acts:

this Act;

the Quarantine Act 1908;

the Customs Act 1901;

another Act prescribed by the regulations;

the Criminal Code or the Crimes Act 1914, to the extent that it relates to any Act referred to in this paragraph;

whether a debt is due and payable by the person, or an associate of the person, to the Commonwealth under any Act referred to in paragraph (a);

whether an application made by the person, or an associate of the person, under or for the purposes of any of the following provisions has been refused:

section 177 of this Act (application for permit to bring or import certain conditionally non‑prohibited goods into Australian territory);

section 406 of this Act (approval of proposed arrangement);

subsection 13(2AA) of the Quarantine Act 1908 (permits to introduce, import or bring thing into Australia, Christmas Island or the Cocos (Keeling) Islands);

section 46A of the Quarantine Act 1908 (approvals for the purpose of goods subject to quarantine);

whether a permit granted to the person, or an associate of the person, under section 179 of this Act (to bring or import certain conditionally non‑prohibited goods into Australian territory) has been suspended or revoked;

whether an approval of the person, or an associate of the person, for an approved arrangement, or for part of an approved arrangement, has been suspended or revoked under Part 4 or 5 of Chapter 7 of this Act;

whether a permit granted under subsection 13(2AA) of the Quarantine Act 1908 to the person, or an associate of the person, has been revoked under subsection 13(2C) of that Act;

whether an approval of the person, or an associate of the person, has been suspended or revoked under subsection 46A(9) of the Quarantine Act 1908;

whether an agreement with the person, or an associate of the person, has been cancelled under subsection 66B(3) of the Quarantine Act 1908.

In determining whether the person is a fit and proper person, the Director of Biosecurity or the Director of Human Biosecurity may also have regard to:

whether the person has been convicted of an offence against, or ordered to pay a pecuniary penalty under, any Australian law (other than an Act referred to in paragraph (2)(a)); and

any other relevant matter.

Paragraphs (2)(c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) do not apply in relation to a refusal, suspension, revocation or cancellation if the decision in relation to the refusal, suspension, revocation or cancellation was set aside on review.

Nothing in this section affects the operation of Part VIIC of the Crimes Act 1914 (which includes provisions that, in certain circumstances, relieve persons from the requirement to disclose spent convictions and require persons aware of such convictions to disregard them).