What it does
These regulations prescribe detailed, species- and class-specific controls on the transport of livestock by road and, in limited circumstances, by sea within Tasmania. Mechanically, they do four things.
- Define the regulatory scope and key terms used throughout the instrument, including journey, journey time, spell, maximum time off water, reasonable access to water, transporting (which extends to certain pre-loading activities), and competent person (reg 3(1)-(6); reg 5). These definitional rules determine when duties trigger and how time limits are measured (reg 3(2); reg 5(1)-(2)).
- Establish general duties on persons who prepare, load, drive, consign or otherwise have care or charge of livestock during transport, including fitness-for-transport checks, handling standards, vehicle and facility standards, inspection frequency, recordkeeping and responses to sick or distressed animals (reg 8-16, 22-24).
- Set specific numerical limits and minimums for journey time, maximum time off water and minimum spell duration for particular species and classes (alpacas, buffalo, camels, cattle, deer, emus, ostriches, goats, horses, pigs, poultry, sheep and bobby calves). Those are expressed as tables inside Part 3 (reg 25-38).
- Create an enforcement and penalty framework including maximum fines for contraventions, infringement notice penalties for selected offences (reg 6, reg 23, multiple regs with fines up to 100 penalty units for bodies corporate and 50 penalty units for individuals), and an exemption mechanism for particular persons who receive a driver’s written declaration and otherwise meet specified conditions (reg 39).
The instrument is primarily prescriptive and operational. It sets both process duties (inspect, document, provide spells, maintain ventilation, segregate, inspect facilities) and outcome limits (journey times, time off water, minimum spell durations, required protective measures like bedding or shelter). It creates duties for multiple actors in the transport chain: owners, consignors, drivers, vehicle owners and operators, facility owners, and persons who load livestock into containers. The regulations apply to road transport within the State and, in specific circumstances, to sea transport where livestock are contained in a vehicle or container loaded onto a sea-going vessel (reg 4).