An industry organisation will need to go through a consultation process and be able to demonstrate this process and the outcomes to the Minister. Consulting with the sector forms part of the eligibility requirements outlined above. 

Consultation should be planned with the end application in mind. Preparing a consultation plan will help both the industry organisation and MPI assess the likely success of the eventual application to the Minister. A consultation plan should cover: 

1. Who you plan to consult
2. How you plan to consult them
3. The specific propositions you are seeking their support on, particularly in relation to:
   • Representation and signing the Deed
   • Defining the sector
   • Decision-making arrangements during  OA negotiations and during responses
   • Funding arrangements.
4. How you plan to record and report on the feedback from the consultation.

The consultation requirements are outlined in section 100ZA of the Biosecurity Act 1993. An industry organisation must consult with its sector to be eligible to sign the Deed. The objective of the consultation is to show that sector participants were consulted on and generally agree to: 

1. The industry organisation signing the Deed on behalf of the sector
2. A funding proposal
3. A process for how their views will be represented during joint decision-making under the Deed. 

The funding plan should outline how the industry organisation intends to fund its commitments as a Deed signatory. This should cover any intended readiness or response activities, as well as the costs of meeting minimum commitments (eg, taking part in the Deed Governance Group and the GIA Biosecurity Forum). For further information see Funding options section.

The industry organisation could also use the consultation process to ensure industry representatives who will be making decisions under GIA have the support to do so, although a further internal process, such as a Board resolution, may also be required. This could be done by seeking sector participants’ agreement to: 

• A spending limit for response activities
• The negotiation of Operational Agreements (who, scope, boundaries, financial limits and process)
• Approved decision-makers
• The establishment of a Biosecurity Act levy.

The Biosecurity Act does not specify the use of specific consultation or reporting methods. This means industry organisations can make use of their existing consultation and communication methods that they know work with their sector (noting that documented evidence of having consulted, with whom, and written feedback from sector participants and how that feedback was considered and addressed is required). They can also determine which measures (for example, votes, resolutions and/or consultation responses) best indicate their sector’s level of support. 

Regardless of industries’ chosen consultation method, sector participants must be given an opportunity for:

1. Direct engagement
2. Providing written feedback
3. Receiving an adequate response to their feedback.

To ensure that the Biosecurity Act’s requirements are met, industry organisations must discuss their planned approach for engagement and consultation with MPI and keep MPI up-to-date with progress during the process.

This page was last review April 2023