Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 41:53 to 48:44
Senators question discrepancies in revenue and expenditure for Self-Assessed Clearances (SACE). Industry concerns regarding over-recovery and the process for indexing charges are addressed, alongside the role of consultation forums.
Topics: Export cost recovery, Biosecurity
Speakers: Hon Richard Colbeck, Matthew Geysen, Miss Victoria Anderson, Unknown Speaker, Hon Matthew Canavan, Interjection, Senator Glenn Sterle
>> So, just to those >> um charges and costings, um when did you actually get the uh draft report from the AO which was um issued in July? When did get the draft which would have given you the opportunity to comment?
>> We can just find that information for you. We we got it in the through the section 19 process. So just check on the date for that and From memory it was within a month or so of when it was finalized.
uh I think it was midmay s midmay but I'll get miday so I'll get the exact date because then we have uh 28 calendar days to be able to respond to the draft
>> report okay that's fine so so I just want to go to one particular area of >> the acronym here I've got here is the SACE which is for
>> selfest
>> And so you'll have seen the general findings of the ANAO's report in in May. um a lot of concern about that with respect to cost recovery or over cost recovery. Uh the information I've got here says that the co DAFF cost was at 33 cents but in July you you increased your your index the SACE charge to 38 cents. So that's 5 cents over recovery in that sense um which has some sensitivity in a competitive neutrality sense which I'll come to shortly. So um what was the process around indexing that increased charge when the view was that your actual cost is 5 cents cheaper than what you're charging?
Uh, Senator, I know my bio security colleagues have a little bit more detail about the um the reference that you made around I think sorry was it the 33 cents? Um, but that what I'd observe is with self assess clearances we recover a quarter in a rears for that. Um so the calculation of how much it cost us during that period uh we did see some significant volume increases that were not forecast and so there was a higher amount of revenue resulting to a lower net cost. Uh in 2526 as an example the total revenue for the self assess clearances was 60.6 million and the actual expenditure was 60.47 million. So for the last financial year it's showing that the revenue and the
again?
>> Yep. Um so in 2526 um the figures that I have for the self assessed clearances the revenue recovered was 60.6 million and the expenditure was 60.47 So at very close to a break even result
different numbers. The expenses for the self assessment charge are 57.1 in financial year 26 against revenue of 65.5 which is a significant over recovery which goes to the point that the industry are making about um which I and I understand this has been an ongoing issue for them. Um, that for FY26, expenses for the charge of 57.1 against revenue of 65.5. So that's different to the numbers
happy to double check with the team, but I'm I don't have the the figures that that you do in front of me, but the the figures that I have certainly show a much closer position.
>> And and Senator, I might add, we we do have people who are kind of closer to the biocurity arrangement coming in outcome too as well. So, if if we can't help you now, we we should be able to help you later today
talking to this group for a while now and um they've been concerned about um over recovery for a considerable period of time. you mentioned before the consultation forums. so what's the appropriate forum for SH SACE charge payers to raise cost recovery concerns?
>> So, so they have, Senator, already through the forum I mentioned before. Matt might be able you might be able to help me with the name of it.
>> Can can you tell me who sits on the
>> Uh, no. We would have to again in outcome two, we could most definitely do that. But I know Miss Saunders um chairs that uh chairs that committee and then there may even be subcommittees that others are involved in as well. I'm not sure but it's certainly not this is not a fresh issue for us just to give you
fresh issue.
>> Yeah.
you talked about an increase traffic or Um what proportion of that was for um private providers if you say so private operators versus Australia Post
>> uh are you in terms of volumes
>> sorry that that is because the arrangement is managed in by security outcome too um would be I'm Sorry, I know it's annoying when you're on a topic, but I think um the people who
>> I want to go for competitive neutrality of that
>> yes
>> particular area. So I'm best to do that in outcome too.
>> Yes, we'll make sure people are ready and and Mr. G might stick around as well if that's all right just to make sure we can answer your questions there properly.
>> Okay, I'm happy to come back to that
>> Sorry. Oh, sorry. I wasn't quite sure if