Work plan | Inspector General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports

Role and objectives of the Inspector-General

The Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports (IGAWLAE) is an independent statutory officer responsible for reviewing the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (the department) performance of functions and exercise of powers in regulating livestock exports.

The IGAWLAE monitors, investigates and reports on the department’s implementation of animal welfare and live animal export legislation and standards with the intention of:

promoting continual improvements in the regulatory practice, performance and culture of the department
providing an additional layer of accountability and assurance of the regulation of Australia’s livestock exports
ensuring livestock export officials consider the welfare of animals when performing functions and exercising their powers
increasing accountability, regulatory compliance and transparency with Australia’s livestock export legislation and standards.

The IGAWLAE’s role does not include:

consideration of a single performance of a function, or a single exercise of a power, by a single livestock export official
live animal exports not considered livestock under ASEL e.g. cats and dogs, birds, horses
animal welfare issues covered under state and territory legislation
development and implementation of animal welfare policies.

At the start of each financial year, the Inspector-General develops and publishes a work plan that outlines the reviews they will conduct over the next 12 months. The Inspector-General is responsible for initiating and conducting the reviews in the work plan. The Minister may also direct the Inspector-General to conduct a particular review. The Secretary of the department may also request the Inspector-General to conduct a particular review. However, the Inspector-General is not required to comply with this request.

How you can help

Stakeholders provide a valuable source of information for the IGAWLAE in the formation and content of reviews. Individual reviews often allow for public submissions and stakeholders are informed of these opportunities by e-mail. To stay informed, you can request to be added to the email distribution list by contacting the IGAWLAE office.

Public submissions are collected through the department’s Have Your Say web platform and direct submissions to the IGAWLAE email are also welcome.

All submissions can be made confidentially and anonymously if requested.

2026-27 work plan

1. Unpublished IGAWLAE reviews (2025–26)

The reviews commenced by the previous Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports in 2025–26 will be finalised and published.

Topic	Scope	Timeframe
Preparation of livestock for export	To review the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s effectiveness in administering the legislation and standards, including the performance of functions and exercise of powers, in relation to the welfare of livestock in the export supply chain prior to departing Australia. The review focused on: the effectiveness of the department’s regulatory oversight during the preparation phases of the export process the systems, guidance and information that support all participants in understanding the livestock preparation process the level of compliance with Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) and the management of animals rejected from the export supply chain how ASEL and regulatory decision-making take animal welfare into account the critical control points that address risks prior to embarkation and/or contribute to risks further in the export supply chain, with a particular emphasis on animal health and welfare what, if any improvements, should be made to the current arrangements?	Late October 2026
Responses to significant livestock export incidents	To identify opportunities to strengthen arrangements and preparedness activities of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) for responding to notifiable incidents, as defined in the ASEL 3.3 Sections 5.6.5 and 6.11.1. It also seeks to address major and critical non-compliance within the approved Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS). This includes the department’s consideration of animal welfare. The review examined the effectiveness of the department’s systems and processes for responding to significant livestock export incidents that engage either local or broader departmental incident management processes, and includes: notifiable incidents as defined in ASEL major and critical ESCAS non-compliance livestock export incidents that may or may not have breached a set standard or met a notifiable threshold what, if any, improvements could be made?	Late December 2026

Topic

Scope

Timeframe

Preparation of livestock for export

To review the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s effectiveness in administering the legislation and standards, including the performance of functions and exercise of powers, in relation to the welfare of livestock in the export supply chain prior to departing Australia.

The review focused on:

the effectiveness of the department’s regulatory oversight during the preparation phases of the export process
the systems, guidance and information that support all participants in understanding the livestock preparation process
the level of compliance with Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) and the management of animals rejected from the export supply chain
how ASEL and regulatory decision-making take animal welfare into account
the critical control points that address risks prior to embarkation and/or contribute to risks further in the export supply chain, with a particular emphasis on animal health and welfare
what, if any improvements, should be made to the current arrangements?

Late October 2026

Responses to significant livestock export incidents

To identify opportunities to strengthen arrangements and preparedness activities of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) for responding to notifiable incidents, as defined in the ASEL 3.3 Sections 5.6.5 and 6.11.1. It also seeks to address major and critical non-compliance within the approved Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS). This includes the department’s consideration of animal welfare.

The review examined the effectiveness of the department’s systems and processes for responding to significant livestock export incidents that engage either local or broader departmental incident management processes, and includes:

notifiable incidents as defined in ASEL
major and critical ESCAS non-compliance
livestock export incidents that may or may not have breached a set standard or met a notifiable threshold
what, if any, improvements could be made?

Late December 2026

2. IGAWLAE reviews proposed for 2026–27

Topic	Scope	Timeframe
Review of Australia’s livestock export regulatory framework	This system level review will assess the structure, efficiency and effectiveness of Australia’s regulatory framework for livestock exports. It is set within the context of the Australian Government’s decision to phase out live sheep exports by sea and the potential for adjustments to the current regulatory framework post 1 May 2028. The review will consider the effectiveness of the Commonwealth systems for the administration of livestock exports – including legislation, standards and the department’s role. There will be a particular focus on cost efficiency, risk-based and proportional regulation, consistency and clarity of accountabilities. It will also assess how the framework supports animal welfare, market access and public confidence while minimising regulatory burden	Starting July–September 2026 (approx.)
Review of the effectiveness of ASEL in supporting animal health and welfare outcomes	This review will consider whether the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) effectively support and promote positive animal health and welfare outcomes for livestock exported from Australia. The review may examine: the animal welfare outcomes sought through ASEL the use of evidence to support the development of standards for achieving intended animal welfare outcomes the methods used to assess and monitor those outcomes the effectiveness of amendments to ASEL in improving animal welfare stakeholder understanding and interpretation of ASEL requirements whether the standards appropriately balance process requirements with outcome-based regulation.	Starting October–December 2026 (approx.)

Topic

Scope

Timeframe

Review of Australia’s livestock export regulatory framework

This system level review will assess the structure, efficiency and effectiveness of Australia’s regulatory framework for livestock exports. It is set within the context of the Australian Government’s decision to phase out live sheep exports by sea and the potential for adjustments to the current regulatory framework post 1 May 2028.

The review will consider the effectiveness of the Commonwealth systems for the administration of livestock exports – including legislation, standards and the department’s role. There will be a particular focus on cost efficiency, risk-based and proportional regulation, consistency and clarity of accountabilities.

It will also assess how the framework supports animal welfare, market access and public confidence while minimising regulatory burden

Starting July–September 2026 (approx.)

Review of the effectiveness of ASEL in supporting animal health and welfare outcomes

This review will consider whether the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) effectively support and promote positive animal health and welfare outcomes for livestock exported from Australia.

The review may examine:

the animal welfare outcomes sought through ASEL
the use of evidence to support the development of standards for achieving intended animal welfare outcomes
the methods used to assess and monitor those outcomes
the effectiveness of amendments to ASEL in improving animal welfare
stakeholder understanding and interpretation of ASEL requirements
whether the standards appropriately balance process requirements with outcome-based regulation.

Starting October–December 2026 (approx.)

3. IGAWLAE reviews proposed for 2027–28

The below topics will be reviewed during the fourth quarter of 2026–27 to ensure the topics selected still reflect priorities and the operational environment.

Topic	Scope	Timeframe
Compliance and enforcement of livestock exports	This review will assess the department’s compliance and enforcement functions within the livestock export regulatory framework. The review will consider whether the department is appropriately using the full range of compliance and enforcement tools available – ranging from education and voluntary compliance through to sanctions and full force of the law. It will also explore the capability, resourcing and accountability mechanisms to support effective enforcement. As well as the department’s ability to apply a transparent, risk based, proportionate and consistent compliance strategy that evolves with changing risks and industry practices.	Starting July–September 2027 (approx.)
Review of the Department’s regulatory performance	This review will examine the department’s performance management systems and processes as they relate to the regulation of livestock exports. It will assess how the department measures, monitors and reports on and communicates its regulatory performance, with particular focus on transparency, accountability and performance reporting requirements. The review will consider how regulatory performance is defined and assessed, including the extent to which the department demonstrates achievement of its regulatory objectives. Performance aspects include, but are not limited to: efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory processes for both the regulator and the regulated entities volume, outcomes and timeliness of reviews and appeals communication of performance to regulated entities, parliament and the public. The review will also assess the alignment between performance measurement and cost recovery arrangements. Including how efficiency and effectiveness are measured in relation to recovered costs and communicated to regulated entities.	Starting January–March 2028 (approx.)

Topic

Scope

Timeframe

Compliance and enforcement of livestock exports

This review will assess the department’s compliance and enforcement functions within the livestock export regulatory framework. The review will consider whether the department is appropriately using the full range of compliance and enforcement tools available – ranging from education and voluntary compliance through to sanctions and full force of the law.

It will also explore the capability, resourcing and accountability mechanisms to support effective enforcement. As well as the department’s ability to apply a transparent, risk based, proportionate and consistent compliance strategy that evolves with changing risks and industry practices.

Starting July–September 2027 (approx.)

Review of the Department’s regulatory performance

This review will examine the department’s performance management systems and processes as they relate to the regulation of livestock exports. It will assess how the department measures, monitors and reports on and communicates its regulatory performance, with particular focus on transparency, accountability and performance reporting requirements.

The review will consider how regulatory performance is defined and assessed, including the extent to which the department demonstrates achievement of its regulatory objectives. Performance aspects include, but are not limited to:

efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory processes for both the regulator and the regulated entities
volume, outcomes and timeliness of reviews and appeals
communication of performance to regulated entities, parliament and the public.

The review will also assess the alignment between performance measurement and cost recovery arrangements. Including how efficiency and effectiveness are measured in relation to recovered costs and communicated to regulated entities.

Starting January–March 2028 (approx.)