The Department of the Environment and Energy has launched a trial of a new online portal among a group of permit holders for wildlife trading to allow them to acquit their permits without using paper.
Under the trial arrangement, the new system will tell the Department whether a wildlife trade permit has or has not been used and the specimens that were shipped or received under the permit.
It will also allow for quicker assessment of future permit applications, and help the Department ensure that wildlife trade is legal, sustainable and reportable.
In a statement, the Department said the current way in which applicants acquitted their Wildlife Trade Permits (with hard copy pink slips) would soon transition to an online services account.
“An online acquittal trial is currently being undertaken with a small group of permit holders before being rolled out to all permit holders,” the Department said.
“We will notify all permit holders when the online acquittal portal is available to them.
“The portal is part of a broader Departmental system upgrade that will provide greater visibility of, and access to, acquittals and acquittal compliance,” it said.
“This is expected to help us assess future permit applications more efficiently.”
The Department said that after the end of the online acquittal trial period, it expected to confirm details and timing of a launch to all permit holders.
“User guides and permit staff will be available to support your transition to the new online acquittal system,” the Department said.
