Appendix E: Service standards
Service standard description | Target | Result |
Correspondence by phone For calls received through the national contact number we will answer your call within 5 minutes. This standard applies to clients contacting the department through the national contact number: 1800 900 090. | 80% of calls to be answered within our service standard | 84% |
Correspondence by online forms For general enquiries received through the department's online contact form we will provide immediate confirmation of receipt and respond to your request within 10 business days of receipt. If we cannot fully answer your query in that time we will advise you of when a complete response can be expected. Wherever possible, we will respond earlier. For some services, such as permit and grant applications, specific service standards may exist. | 80% of requests to be responded to within our service standard | 80% |
Bookings by phone/email We will confirm your booking request, cancellation or amendment within 1 business day of receipt | 95% of bookings to be confirmed within our service standard | 65% a b |
Updated 22 January 2020: Bookings by phone/email We will confirm receipt of your booking request, cancellation or amendment within 1 business day. | 95% of bookings to be confirmed within our service standard | 100% c |
a The result was affected by increased volumes of booking requests across multiple commodities, as well as non-commodity related inspection bookings such as Cargo Compliance Verification (CCV) and Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). There was high demand throughout the reporting period. b This result covers the period from 1 July 2019 to 21 January 2020. On 22 January 2020, this standard was updated to enable a more efficient, accurate and practical booking process and help reduce waiting times for inspection appointments. c Covers the period from 22 January to 30 June 2020.
Service standard description | Target | Result |
Inspection of goods at an approved premises We will provide this service within 3 business days of confirmation of your scheduled appointment. During periods of significant short-term increases in trade activity, there may be delays. If this is the case, we will consult you to agree on a mutually suitable time for your appointment. | 95% of inspections to be provided within our service standard | 89% a |
Inspection of non-commercial vessels On arrival at a port at which the department has a permanent staff presence, we will aim to provide an initial inspection within 1 business day from you advising the department of your arrival. In periods of increased arrivals, such as regattas, the time to attend an inspection may be slightly longer. | 95% of inspections to be provided within our service standard | 100% |
Treatments We will provide your or your representative with treatment direction within 2 business days following an inspection. The time taken for processing your goods is dependent on the nature of treatment or the mandatory duration of quarantine periods. | 95% of treatments to be processed within our service standard | 89.3% b |
Assess/issue import documentation lodged via COLS We will process your lodgement within 1 business day of receipt for urgent items. Non-urgent items will be processed within 2 business days of receipt. Lodgement processing may take longer if:
| 80% of assessments to be processed within our service standard | 92% within 1 business day 83% within 2 business days |
Assess/issue import documentation lodged via email We will process your lodgement within 3 business day of receipt. Lodgement processing may take longer if:
Email lodgement is to be used only for items listed as per industry notice 20–2016. | 80% of assessments to be processed within our service standard | 99% |
Attendance in-office for clearing of imported or exported goods We aim to attend to you within 30 minutes of you arriving at the office. During peak periods throughout a business day and when there are significant short-term increases in trade activity, there may be delays in our larger offices. You can expect to spend about 15 minutes with a departmental officer for each standard transaction that is accompanied by valid documentation. Urgent and non-commercial client personal effects will be considered higher priority. | 80% of clearances to be processed within our service standard | – c |
Import permits – applications using BICON We will issue import permits within 20 business days of completed applications being received and paid for in full. Applications may take longer if:
| 90% of import permits to be issued within our service standard | 88% |
a Target was met in Western Australia (99%), Queensland (97%), South Australia (100%) and Northern Territory (100%). Target was not met in Victoria (83%) and New South Wales (87%). b We rely on the importer or their agent to advise of their preferred treatment option after an inspection. This can affect our ability to meet the standard if the importer takes longer than 2 days to provide their preference. c We no longer record results for this standard, because of the decommissioning of old technology. Effective from 11 May 2020, and until further notice, the department temporarily ceased client-facing import document assessments. We are still providing front counter services for export document assessments.
Service standard description | Target | Result |
Inspection of goods at an export-registered establishment We will aim to provide an officer to inspect goods at an export-registered establishment within 3 business days of your request for an appointment. Inspection times are based on availability so we may be able to provide the service within a shorter timeframe. | 95% of inspections to be provided within our service standard | 100% |
Inspection of goods for air freight exports We will aim to provide an inspection for goods exported by air freight within 24 hours of your request for an appointment. During periods of increased trade activity, there may be delays in meeting your requested inspection time. | 95% of inspections to be provided within our service standard | 100% |
Inspection of goods for sea freight exports We will aim to provide an inspection for goods exported by sea freight within 3 business days of your request for an appointment. During periods of increased trade activity, there may be delays in meeting your requested inspection time. | 95% of inspections to be provided within our service standard | 100% |
Inspection of bulk vessels for export appointment. We will aim to provide a physical inspection within 3 business days of a confirmed | 95% of inspections to be provided within our service standard | 100% |
Assess/issue export documentation We will process your lodgement within 1 business day for air freight. We will process your lodgement within 3 business days for sea freight. | 95% of assessments to be processed within our service standard | 100% within 1 business day 94% within 3 business days |
Plant export authorised officer application – application assessment When an application is received and the application fee has been paid, we will aim to assess your application within 15 business days. | 90% of application assessments to be processed within our service standard | 100% |
Plant export authorised officer application – Deed of Obligations When an assessment tool that has a competent result is received, we will require a further 10 business days to process an invoice for the appointment fee. | 90% of requests to be processed within our service standard | 90% |
Plant export authorised officer application – Instrument of Appointment When all training, assessment and further documentation have been completed and all fees have been paid, we will require a further 10 business days to provide the Instrument of Appointment. | 90% of Instruments of Appointment to be processed within our service standard | 100% of Instruments of Appointment were processed within our service standard |
Service standard description | Target | Result | |
Inspection of livestock at an export registered premise, approved premise, airside or vessel We will:
Fees may apply for changing or cancelling an appointment/inspection as per the current charging guidelines Wherever reasonable, we will seek to accommodate bookings and changes made inside the 3 business days period. However we cannot guarantee that we will be able to service this request | 95% inspections provided within standard. | 95% | |
Assess/issue live animal export documentation We will:
| 95% processed within standard. | 95% | |
Application for (or renewal of) an export licence or variation of an export licence We will:
Wherever possible, we will respond earlier, however the complexity of the application and the volume of applications being processed will have an effect on processing time. | 90% of applications processed within standard | 88% | |
Registration or renewal of registered premises We will:
Wherever possible, we will respond earlier, however the complexity of the application and the volume of applications being processed will have an effect on processing time. | 90% of applications processed within standard | 40% | |
Registration of an Australian Government Accredited Veterinarians for livestock export We will:
| 90% of applications processed within standard | 93% | |
Application for an approved arrangement We will assess the application, audit the business and make a decision within 40 business days of receipt. a If we do not make a decision within 60 days you have the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to get a decision. We will advise you as soon as practical if there are missing, incomplete, incorrect or ineligible documents. | 90% of applications processed within standard | 50% b | |
Application for a variation to an approved arrangement We will:
Applications for variations which include more than 5 Standard Export Plans will wherever possible be assessed and a decision made within 20 business days of receipt. a However, due to the many possible variables and complexities involved, the department reserves the right to vary the time frame according to the quantity and complexity of SEPs. If we do not make a decision within 60 days you have the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to get a decision. | 90% of applications processed within standard | 34% | |
Submission of Notice of Intention (without an approved arrangement) We will make a decision on the application within 10 business days of receipt of a complete application. Variations that require reassessment will be assessed and decided on within 7 business days of receipt. | 95% of applications processed within standard | 100% | |
Submission of Notice of Intention (with an approved arrangement) Assess and approve or reject Notices of Intention for consignments under approved arrangements within 3 business days of receipt. a | 95% of applications processed within our service standard | 70% | |
Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) applications and variations | |||
New ESCAS applications – we will assess and make a decision on the application within 10 business days of receipt. | 90% processed within standard | 67% | |
ESCAS Variations – we will assess and make a decision on the application within 10 business days of receipt. | 88% | ||
Assess third party reported non-conformances c | |||
We will assess and make a decision on a reported non-compliance within 3 months if it involves a single compliance issue for one exporter d | 90% processed within standard | N/A for single compliance issues | |
We will assess and make a decision on a reported non-compliance within 6 months if it involves multiple issues or exporters. d | 50% for multiple issues or exporters | ||
Assess self-reported non-conformances We will assess and make a decision on a reported non-compliance within 3 months d | 90% processed within standard | 64% | |
Reportable mortality events We will assess and report on a notifiable mortality incident within 6 months. | 90% processed within standard | 100% | |
N/A Not applicable. We work with each applicant so that their application can be recommended for approval wherever possible. Some applications require significant amendments and revisions which may take time. Some applications may be delayed while importing country requirements are negotiated or clarified. In every case, we advised on any incomplete, incorrect or ineligible documents as soon as practicable. a Time frame does not include time taken for applicant to provide more information. b In 2019–20 we completed 2 applications for new approved arrangements. One was completed within 40 business days and one was completed in 86 business days. c Third party reports will likely involve multiple exporters, therefore all third party reports have been combined in the table. d Time frames are calculated between date of receipt and date of publication. ESCAS reports are published quarterly. The report may have been finalised, or a decision made, prior to its publication.
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https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/department-agriculture-water-and-environment/reporting-year/2019-20-21