Inspections

Inspections under the Animal Research Act 1985 (the Act)

The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (the department) monitors compliance with the Act through regulatory inspections of licence and accreditation holders.

Inspections of establishments are conducted by an authorised veterinary inspector appointed under the Act. Members of the Animal Research Review Panel (the Panel) can accompany an inspector during inspections, in accordance with section 10 of the Act.

For information on how inspections are conducted, please see the Inspection Guidelines.

Inspection frequency

The department and the Panel prioritise the conduct of routine inspections based on risk. Risk-based compliance is in accordance with the NSW Government’s Quality Regulatory Services Initiative and aligns with best practice in regulation.

Inspections based on risk provide the necessary flexibility for the department to focus its compliance efforts on high priority/risk activities, particularly those identified in the legislation or the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (the Code) as requiring additional scrutiny.

The department may not inspect every accreditation or licence holder in a 4-yearly period. Where the department does not undertake a compliance inspection, institutions must still abide by their obligation under the Code and ensure that a 4-yearly independent external review is conducted, and this review must be conducted by people who:

• are independent of the institution and the activities conducted on behalf of the institution; and
• have appropriate qualifications and/or experience relevant to the activities of the institution.