Biosecurity Act 2015

This Act does not exclude or limit the operation of a law of a State or Territory that is capable of operating concurrently with this Act (except as referred to in subsection (2)).

Subsection (1) is subject to the following provisions:

section 172 (prohibited goods);

section 265 (ballast water);

subsections 445(4), 446(4), 477(5) and 478(4) (biosecurity emergencies and human biosecurity emergencies).

Without limiting subsection (1), this Act does not exclude or limit the concurrent operation of a law of a State or Territory to the extent that:

the law makes an act or omission:

an offence; or

subject to a civil penalty; and

that (or any similar) act or omission is also:

an offence against a provision of this Act; or

subject to a civil penalty under this Act.

Subsection (3) applies even if the law of the State or Territory does any one or more of the following, in relation to the offence or civil penalty:

provides for a penalty that differs from the penalty provided for in this Act;

provides for fault elements that differ from the fault elements applicable to the offence or civil penalty provision created by this Act;

provides for defences or exceptions that differ from the defences or exceptions applicable to the offence or civil penalty provision created by this Act.