2015 Pan Pacific Veterinary Conference

This paper aims to provide delegates with a current picture of Australia’s horse import conditions and give them an understanding of the scientific reasons and circumstances that led to the implementation of these import conditions. This paper will provide a summary of the horse import process and changes to the horse import conditions which were announced on 1 August 2013 following a review of the import policy for horses. The paper will outline the reasons for the review and the policy changes. It will cover the affect of the changes on Australia’s management of biosecurity risk and some aspects of the impact of those changes on the horse industry. It will detail the two phases of implementation, outlining the immediate changes that were made and the ongoing changes that have been made to date. The paper will also reflect on further implementation work and other related activities. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation and questions are welcome on the topic or any related live animal import or horse export issues, though some issues may need to be referred to the relevant experts.