Page Content
Distribution of Issues Paper for mushrooms
Letter as sent to stakeholders on 11 November 1999.
98/923 & 99/411
Dear Stakeholder
GLOBAL IMPORT RISK ANALYSIS -
FRESH AND DRIED, CULTIVATED AND WILD, EDIBLE MUSHROOMS
In our letter of 20 August 1999, stakeholders were advised of the final Risk Analysis Panel (RAP) membership, scope and timing for the Import Risk Analysis (IRA) of imported mushrooms. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a copy of the Issues Paper for the IRA that has been developed in order to:
- define the scope of the IRA
- provide background information
- provide terms of reference
- propose a preliminary tiMETAble.
At its commencement, the IRA was to include all fresh edible mushroom species. After a meeting between AQIS and interested parties held in Sydney last year, it was agreed that the IRA would primarily focus on 39 species as listed in Attachment 3 of the enclosed paper. These species represent the currently permitted species and additional species in which importers have expressed the most interest. The RAP has also decided that the scope of the IRA will be broadened to include dried, wild and cultivated mushrooms species.
The IRA will concentrate on those countries from which pest information is readily accessible. Information from countries on pest status that is unavailable prior to the finalisation of the IRA, will need to be provided prior to consideration of imports being permitted from those countries.
The RAP will hold a meeting with stakeholders at 1.00pm on Thursday, 25 November 1999, in the Swanston Room at the Centra Hotel, Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine. This meeting will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to consult directly with the RAP and technical working group (TWG) members on the IRA process, and highlight issues to be considered in conducting the risk analysis. Stakeholders wishing to attend the meeting should advise their name and contact telephone numbers to Ms Cathy Wells, telephone (02) 6272 5094, fax (02) 6272 3307 by no later than COB Monday 22 November 1999.
You are invited to comment on the enclosed document for this IRA. Your comments will be taken into consideration by the RAP when conducting the IRA. AQIS will accept written submissions until the close of business 21 January 2000. Responses should be forwarded to:
Risk Analysis Secretariat
Plant Quarantine Policy Branch
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Tel: (02) 6272 5094
Fax: (02) 6272 3307
Subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, all submissions received with respect to the review will be publicly available and be listed or referred to in papers or reports prepared in the review. If a request for anonymity does not accompany a submission, the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of his or her identity for the purposes of the Privacy Act. The contents of a submission will not be treated as confidential unless they are marked 'confidential' and they are capable of being classified as such in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. The AQIS import risk analysis process, as documented in the AQIS Import Risk Analysis Process Handbook, does not provide for extensions to the formal consultation stages.
If you wish to suggest inclusion of an additional stakeholder in our distribution list for this IRA, or if you wish to be removed from the distribution list, please provide details to the Import Risk Analysis Secretariat at the above address.
Information on all IRAs being conducted by the Plant Quarantine Policy Branch is available on the AQIS Homepage.
I look forward to receiving your comments on the Issues Paper.
Yours sincerely
Dr Brian Stynes
Assistant Director
Plant Quarantine Policy Branch
11 November 1999