Compliance and Regulatory Training For Biosecurity Officers

Biosecurity and weed officers exercise legal powers that directly affect landholders, businesses and the community. Those powers must be used lawfully, fairly and with a sound evidentiary basis.

This training gives Authorised Officers the practical skills to carry out compliance, enforcement and investigation functions with confidence.

You will develop the ability to:

• Interpret the Biosecurity Act 2015 and identify the elements of offences

• Plan, initiate and conduct compliance and investigation activities

• Gather, preserve and manage evidence, including continuity of evidence

• Conduct interviews and obtain statements in line with legal requirements

• Apply statutory powers, timeframes and delegations appropriately

• Understand certificates of authority and the use of biosecurity directions

• Manage conflict and maintain safety during field interactions

• Prepare professional reports, records and briefs of evidence

To enrol in this qualification, your current work must regularly involve conducting or supporting government investigations. This may include investigation work undertaken as part of regulatory, compliance, enforcement or inspection functions.

You must be either:

• Employed by the Australian Government, a state or territory government, local government, a statutory authority, public agency or another recognised public sector organisation; or

• Engaged as a consultant or contractor conducting or supporting investigations for a government or public sector organisation.

Your current responsibilities must give you access to investigation activities. These may include:

• Planning investigations

• Assessing information or evidence

• Conducting interviews

• Gathering or documenting evidence

• Preparing investigation records or reports.

General requirements

You must also:

• Be 18 years of age or older

• Complete a language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) assessment

• Complete a pre-training review

• Have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). If you do not already have a USI, you can create one at www.usi.gov.au

• For virtual delivery, have access to a computer or laptop with reliable internet, a camera and a microphone.

To complete this program, you must successfully complete six units of competency:

• PSPGEN113 – Identify and treat risks

• PSPINV001 – Plan and initiate an investigation

• PSPINV004 – Conduct an investigation

• PSPREG033 – Apply regulatory powers

• PSPREG034 – Assess compliance

• PSPREG038 – Give evidence

Assessment is designed to demonstrate your ability to apply government investigation skills in workplace-relevant or simulated contexts.

Assessment may include:

• Practical tasks and projects aligned to government investigation activities

• Scenarios, role plays and observation of applied skills

• Short-answer questions and written responses

• Reflective tasks linked to workplace practice

• Use of organisational or provided documentation where appropriate

Assessment tasks are to be completed within three weeks following the final scheduled training session. You will also be required to complete self-directed study outside scheduled training sessions.

Full assessment requirements and submission timelines are provided upon enrolment.

On successful completion of all six units, you will receive a Statement of Attainment.

If you complete only some of the units, you will receive a Statement of Attainment for the units achieved.

This training builds foundational capability for operational biosecurity compliance and investigation roles.

It can also lead to further study, such as the PSP40416 Certificate IV in Government Investigations and then the PSP50416 Diploma of Government Investigations.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer are available for eligible participants in accordance with ACFEC's policies and procedures.

Participants who believe they have already achieved the outcomes of this unit through previous study or relevant workplace experience are encouraged to contact ACFEC to discuss their eligibility.

Virtual classroom via Microsoft Teams

Dates: TBC

Time: TBC

Registrations close: TBC

Delivery: 5 days

Course fee: $2,300 (GST free)

Minimum numbers: 14 learners

For key student information, see the Student Handbook and policies and procedures section on the ACFEC website.