Exhibited Animals Bill 2015

Introduced: 27/3/2015By: Hon W Byrne MPStatus: PASSED with amendment

Environment Business & Economy Safety & Emergency

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Plain English Summary

Overview

This bill creates a single law for exhibiting animals in Queensland, covering zoos, wildlife parks, aquariums, circuses and mobile animal shows. It replaces four overlapping Acts with one exhibition licence and a new legal duty to minimise animal welfare, biosecurity and public safety risks.

Who it affects

Operators of animal exhibits face simpler licensing but tougher obligations, while visitors and the broader community get stronger protections against cruelty, dangerous animals and pest species escaping.

Key changes

One exhibition licence (up to three years) replaces six existing licensing schemes across the Nature Conservation, Fisheries, Animal Care and Protection, and Land Protection Acts
New general obligation on exhibitors to take reasonable steps to prevent animal welfare, biosecurity and safety risks, with a maximum fine of 750 penalty units
A wider range of exotic and native species can be exhibited if the applicant's management plan shows risks can be managed
High pest-risk exotic animals (prohibited matter under the Biosecurity Act) must be kept at a fixed public exhibit, with mobile display only under a one-year special approval
New inspection, seizure and forfeiture powers, mandatory reporting of serious incidents including human deaths, and an accredited private assessor scheme to support licence renewals

How this affects you

Environment

•A wider range of native and exotic animals can be legally exhibited in Queensland if operators can show risks to animals and the environment are properly managedClause 58The chief executive may grant an exhibition licence for any species if satisfied relevant risks and adverse effects would be appropriately managed under the management plan.
•High-risk exotic pest species must be kept at a fixed public exhibit like a zoo, reducing the chance they escape and establish as pestsClauses 71-76Prohibited matter animals under the Biosecurity Act 2014 must be based in a fixed exhibit open to the public; mobile exhibition only under a one-year special exhibition approval.
•Exhibitors have a clear new duty to prevent environmental harm, animal cruelty and disease spread, backed by fines of up to 750 penalty unitsClauses 18-19Imposes a general exhibition and dealing obligation on responsible persons to take reasonable and practical steps to prevent or minimise animal welfare, biosecurity and safety risks.
•Requiring species that cannot be kept privately to be regularly exhibited reduces demand that drives illegal taking of wildlife from the wildClauses 75-76Minimum exhibition periods deter private collectors operating under the guise of keeping for exhibition and contain demand for animals that could trigger illegal take from the wild.

Business & Economy

•Zoos, aquariums, circuses and mobile animal shows only need one licence instead of up to six under four different ActsChapter 3, Part 3The Bill replaces the current fragmented licensing schemes with a single licensing framework under a single Act.
•Exhibition licences can be granted for up to three years, reducing paperwork and renewal costs for operatorsClause 68Term of exhibited animal authority is set at up to three years for exhibition licences.
•Interstate-licensed exhibitors can get a one-year interstate exhibitors permit to bring animals into Queensland without a full Queensland licenceClauses 45-47Interstate exhibitors permits authorise exhibiting and keeping an animal under an interstate authority for up to one year.
•Operators must write a management plan explaining how they will manage risks, and pay for official assessments by inspectors when applying for or renewing a licenceClauses 37, 103-105An 'official assessment', charged to the exhibitor, will generally be required to provide the chief executive with sufficient evidence to decide a licence application.

Safety & Emergency

•Operators must notify authorities of serious incidents, including any death or serious injury to a person caused by an exhibited animalClauses 80-81Obligation to notify serious incidents including the death or serious injury or illness of a person caused by or originating from an authorised animal.
•Workers and volunteers at animal exhibits must notify their employer or the chief executive if an animal escapes or a serious incident occursClause 84A person acting under an exhibited animal authority who becomes aware of a serious incident must notify the authority holder or, if unreachable, the chief executive.
•Inspectors can immediately suspend a licence or enter a place without a warrant to stop an imminent and significant safety or biosecurity riskClauses 138, 159, 162Immediate suspension power and warrantless entry are available where necessary to avoid an imminent and significant relevant risk.
•Inspectors can seize animals that pose an immediate welfare or safety threat and, in extreme cases, destroy animals in unrelievable painClauses 192, 203An inspector may seize an animal where its welfare requires immediate seizure and may destroy a seized animal if in pain to the extent it is cruel to keep it alive.

Bill Journey

Introduced27 Mar 2015

First Reading

Committee

Committee Report8 May 2015

Committee report tabled

Second Reading

In Detail

Third Reading

Royal Assent11 June 2015

Referenced Entities

Sectors Affected

Agriculture Conservation Veterinary Public Health Tourism

Classified using AGIFT/ANZSIC Australian government standards

Exhibited Animals Bill 2015

Plain English Summary

Overview

Who it affects

Key changes

Bill Journey

Referenced Entities

Legislation

Organisations

Places

Roles & Offices

Sectors Affected

Source Documents