Corporate Plan 2025–29

1. Introduction

We are pleased to present the 2025–29 Corporate Plan for the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).

The APVMA is the independent statutory authority responsible for regulation of agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemicals in Australia. Our purpose is to regulate agricultural and veterinary chemicals to protect the health and safety of people, animals and the environment, and to support primary industries, biosecurity and international trade for all Australians.

We aspire to be a global leader in agricultural and veterinary chemicals regulation for the benefit of Australia. To achieve that vision, we aim to work collaboratively with stakeholders to build community trust and confidence in our role as the national regulator.

We are committed to undertaking our role with integrity, making evidence-based decisions, and adopting the best practice principles outlined in the Australian Government’s Regulator Performance Guide:

• Continuous improvement and building trust
• Risk based and data driven
• Collaboration and engagement

We are also dedicated to excellence, transparency and accountability in fulfilling our regulatory duties.
Coinciding with the release of this corporate plan, to guide our key activities, the APVMA Board is also releasing a refreshed strategic plan – the APVMA Strategic Plan 2025–30 which will focus our priorities and resources on 5 strategic objectives:

• Being a trusted, transparent and fair regulator
• Supporting a contemporary regulatory system
• Building foresight capability
• Striving for operational excellence
• Attracting, developing and retaining talented people

We continue to meet the changing needs of Australia’s regulatory landscape. In July 2023, the then Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry issued a direction to the APVMA requiring the prioritisation of eight chemical reviews of concern. We have completed three of these, and the completion of the five remaining chemical reviews is a top priority for the APVMA.

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry issued a new Ministerial Statement of Expectations on 29 January 2025, which outlines the government’s expectations for the delivery of the APVMAs regulatory functions, including the need to focus on implementing reforms arising out of the Detailed response to the final report on future structure and governance arrangements for the APVMA, released by the Australian Government on 4 November 2024. Much has already been achieved in this reform agenda, as outlined in our Regulator Statement of Intent dated 21 February 2025. This important work will continue into the 2025–26 reporting period.

• Regulation
• People
• Communications and Engagement
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

In early 2025, we commenced a significant two-year initiative that will shape our future: the APVMA Process Enhancement Initiative. The primary aim of the Initiative is to undertake a comprehensive review of all regulatory and operational functions of the agency with a view to identifying and capturing opportunities for improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. This in turn will assist in creating the environment and platform for continuous enhancement of our processes to ensure we meet our vision for the APVMA. This initiative is critical to ensure the ongoing efficient and effective use of APVMA resources, and to embed a culture of continual improvement in all aspects of our operations.

Transparent engagement with our stakeholders and regulated community is an important part of our approach. We recognise that trust is critical to our ability to regulate effectively. Over the course of this reporting period, we will reshape how we engage and communicate with the Australian public, our stakeholders and regulated community. We will maintain our focus on working closely with domestic and international partners to ensure the safety and efficacy of agvet chemicals and utilise the full suite of our statutory powers to ensure compliance to protect people, the environment, animals and trade.

On behalf of the Board, as the accountable authority of the APVMA, we are proud to present the APVMA Corporate Plan 2025–29, which covers the period 2025–26 to 2028–29, as required under paragraph 35(1)(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) and section 51 of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992.

Dr Catherine Ainsworth
Board Chair

Mr Scott Hansen
Chief Executive Officer

1.1. Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

1.2. Our purpose

The APVMA regulates agricultural and veterinary chemicals to protect the health and safety of people, animals and the environment, and to support primary industries, biosecurity and international trade for all Australians.

1.3. Our vision

To be a global leader in agricultural and veterinary chemicals regulation for the benefit of Australia.

1.4. Our values

The APVMA upholds the Australian Public Service (APS) Values as set out in the Public Service Act 1999:

• Impartial – apolitical and provide advice that is frank, honest, timely, and based on the best available evidence
• Committed to service – professional, objective, innovative and efficient
• Accountable – open and accountable to our stakeholders across the Australian community
• Respectful – respect all people, including their rights and their heritage
• Ethical – demonstrate leadership, are trustworthy, and act with integrity
• Stewardship – build capability and institutional knowledge, and support the public interest now and into the future, by understanding the long-term impacts of what we do

These values are applied through the APVMA values and behaviours.

1.5. Our functions, powers and the legislative framework

The APVMA is the national regulator of agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemicals in Australia, in line with the responsibilities set out in the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992 and the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994. The regulatory framework for managing agvet chemicals in Australia is collectively referred to as the National Registration Scheme for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRS). Under the NRS framework, it is responsible for the regulation and control of agvet chemicals up to and including the point of retail sale. The Authority also administers the import and export of chemicals and medicines.

The core regulatory functions of the APVMA are:

• Assess new active constituents and products against the statutory criteria of safety, efficacy and trade.
• Ensure that the approved label accurately reflects how the product is identified, used, stored and disposed of, including first aid and safety information.
• Recall non-compliant products, ensuring the quality and safety of agvet chemicals in the marketplace and verify compliance with the relevant legislation.
• Ensure compliance on manufacturing, importing and exporting of agvet chemical products.
• Consider applications for permits to use an agvet chemical in a manner that is different to the directions for use specified on the registered product label. A permit may also authorise the use of an unregistered chemical under specific circumstances.
• Undertake chemical reviews (reconsiderations) of a registered active constituent or agvet product and its label. These reconsiderations assess the currently approved uses against contemporary science to ensure the statutory criteria can still be met.

It is a strategic priority for the APVMA to build community confidence in the safety and efficacy of registered agvet chemicals through enhancing the effectiveness of both the chemical review and adverse experience reporting programs. Through continuing to implement the Ministerial Direction (issued 13 July 2023) concerning the finalisation of eight long running chemical reconsiderations, the Authority will seek to make determinations in accordance with the relevant legislation and in the shortest reasonable timeframe.

The NRS is a cooperative scheme between the APVMA and all Australian states and territories who operate under mirror legislation, consistent with the arrangements set out in the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994. The agvet laws identify which chemicals and products need to be registered or approved by the APVMA, and which chemicals and products are exempt from requiring registration.
The APVMA monitors and enforces compliance with the Agvet Code and other legislation through the:

• Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992
• Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994
• Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994
• Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Levy) Act 1994

The APVMA Strategic Plan 2025–30 and this Corporate Plan 2025–29 have been prepared to align with the Ministerial Statement of Expectations (issued 29 January 2025) and the Regulator Statement of Intent (issued 21 February 2025). Copies of these documents are available at www.apvma.gov.au/node/355171.

2. Operating context

2.1. Funding

The APVMA is primarily funded on a cost recovery basis by the agricultural and veterinary chemical industry that it regulates. Applicants pay fees and charges for application evaluations, and registrants pay levies based on the wholesale value of the chemicals they sell. During the previous financial year, the Minister, Hon Julie Collins MP, approved regulations to be made to increase the annual registration renewal fees commencing during the 2025–26 financial year. All other fees and charges remained at rates set in 2019.

Ensuring the APVMA operates on a financially sustainable basis across the long-term business cycle is a key priority. Recent reviews of the APVMA have observed that its current cost recovery framework is insufficient to resource its functions and responsibilities. The APVMA will contribute to analysis by government of the APVMAs current cost recovery framework with the aim of ensuring financial sustainability. In concert with this government action, the APVMA is also undertaking a planned transition to annual Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) reviews. This realignment will provide enhanced compliance with evolving regulatory requirements, improved financial stability and opportunities to ensure estimated costs align with actual effort. This, in turn, will help ensure the APVMA is appropriately resourced to deliver its full suite of regulatory responsibilities and maintain financial sustainability.

2.2. Detailed Government Response

In November 2024 the Australian Government released the detailed response to the Final Report on Future Structure and Governance Arrangements for the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (Detailed Response). The detailed response was developed to complement the Government’s APS regulatory reform agenda and provides a direct response to the reviews of the APVMA and the agvet chemicals regulatory system undertaken over the last 4 years.

The detailed response outlines a future program of reforms that will be undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and the APVMA. These reforms cover a wide spectrum of areas including regulatory posture, stakeholder engagement, governance and performance, sustainable resourcing and regulatory processes. It also outlines proposed improvements to regulatory policy areas that will be considered in line with government best practice including consistency and efficiency in control-of-use regulation, monitoring the effectiveness of the regulatory system, and chemical review improvements.

2.3. Environment

The APVMA operates within a highly complex and changing environment influenced by multiple and interacting factors. Some of the more important factors include:

1. emerging new technologies
2. changing societal attitudes towards regulation and compliance
3. increasing biosecurity risk
4. economic circumstances and a changing climate.

While most of these factors are outside of the APVMAs control, the agency must be prepared for them and proactively respond to them. Where possible, the agency needs to do what it can to influence the outcome for the betterment of Australia’s agricultural and companion animal industries.

2.3.1. Emerging new technologies

The approaches and practices related to the design, manufacture, application and disposal of pesticides and veterinary medicine products continually change and evolve. Understanding and adapting to these changes is an important part of ensuring regulatory practices meet the needs and expectations of a modern regulatory system.

Precision agriculture, also known as precision farming, is a management strategy that gathers, processes and analyses temporal, spatial and individual plant and animal data and combines this with other information to support informed management decisions according to estimated variability for improved resource use efficiency, productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability of
agricultural production.

Application of agricultural chemicals for pest control in a precision agricultural setting is advancing rapidly with optical spot spraying techniques such as Green on Brown, Green on Green potentially offering reduced chemical use. Use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) or “Drones” and fully automated systems is also becoming common place in farming operations in Australia (e.g. autonomous vehicle for the application of chemicals for the control of pest, weeds and diseases). The APVMA undertakes its risk assessments of the proposed use of chemical products including application methods such as ground boom, vertical sprayer and application by aircraft including RPAS.

Regulation and risk assessment of application by RPAS is emerging with regulators and industry globally developing assessment tools to adequately apply risk mitigations to product labels. The APVMA must remain active in the development of global risk assessment tools and assessment techniques of these new technologies to respond to Australia’s current and future regulatory needs. Appropriate and timely regulation of emerging technologies will enable uptake in Australian farming systems and benefit Australian agricultural competitiveness globally.

New approach methodologies (NAMs) are innovative scientific approaches that aim to provide more accurate, efficient and more humane methods for assessing the safety and efficacy of chemicals while reducing the reliance on using vertebrate animals as surrogates for humans in the testing of new chemicals and products. They include many in vitro and in silico techniques. Across the world, NAMs are being adopted by the chemical industry and regulators in testing due to their ability to generate information more efficiently and humanely for registration and in doing so more effectively protect human health and the environment. The APVMA needs to have a good understanding of the validity and application of these methods.

Investment in the development of mRNA vaccines for use in veterinary medicines has been growing in recent years. This is due to the range of benefits these vaccines may ultimately provide, including reduced development time; enhanced biosecurity outcomes; increased safety; and increased effectiveness. In the coming years, it is expected that more veterinary vaccines based on this technology will be submitted for registration across the world, including Australia. Similarly, an upsurge in near-market research in the use of dsRNAs for pest insect and disease control suggest that this technology will also need regulating by the APVMA. The Authority needs to be ready to assess new products based on this technology to ensure the risks to people, animals, the environment and Australian trade are appropriately assessed and mitigated, so that the benefits of the technology can be captured in Australia.

Consumer attitudes towards health and food safety are driving the growth in the development and commercialisation of biopesticides. Biopesticides, which are derived from natural materials such as plants, bacteria, viruses and certain minerals, are being sought to replace synthetic chemical pesticides. Biopesticides can have advantages, including lower persistence and greater specificity in some circumstances. Enabling the availability of safe and effective biopesticides for use by Australian farmers is an important part of supporting the sustainability and longevity of the Australian agricultural industry. The APVMA continues to develop capability for assessing biopesticide products, recognising it will need to play a critical and much greater role in facilitating the availability of these products into the future.

Over the next 5 years, progress towards the implementation of e-labels and smart labels is expected to gain momentum. This is an important development within the global regulatory context. The APVMA is actively monitoring, and participating in, as appropriate, the global progress on the development and implementation of e-labels and smart labels so that the authority is well positioned to ensure they achieve their intended purpose of enhancing label access and functionality to meet Australia’s specific needs.

2.3.2. Changing societal attitudes towards regulation and compliance

Perceptions of the regulation of agvet chemicals vary dramatically. Some believe the regulations make it difficult for farmers and other users to access the products they need to protect crops and livestock. Others believe the regulations don’t go far enough and more needs to be done to protect the environment and public health. Fundamentally, all Australians whether they believe there is too much or not enough regulation, expect the APVMA to make scientifically robust and timely regulatory decisions, according to the statutory criteria and utilising the best available information and methods. This needs to continue to be the fundamental principle underlying the Australian agvet chemical regulatory system.

The APVMAs 2024 Stakeholder and Public Survey indicates that Australians have a high degree of trust in agvet chemical products that are regulated by the APVMA. They also depend on the APVMA for confidence that there will be no unexpected negative consequences from using such chemicals. The distribution, sale and use of unregistered veterinary products remains an ongoing risk to the health and safety of Australians, Australia’s livestock industries, companion animals and the environment. The increase in the availability of unregistered products through a variety of platforms and pathways is an ongoing regulatory challenge.

It is important to Australians that the APVMA uses the full suite of its statutory powers to achieve compliance with the Agvet Code. The APVMA continues to take action to protect the Australian community, recently by removing 532 unregistered agvet chemical products from online stores in the 6-month period from July to December 2024. All agvet chemical products sold in Australia must display an APVMA registration number on their label. If that isn’t there, the product is unregistered. The APVMA works with major online marketplaces (including eBay, Amazon, Catch.com, Facebook, Gumtree and Kogan) to ensure listed products don’t breach agvet legislation. The APVMA will continue to collaborate with these platforms to remove unregistered products and identify the entities responsible for creating these listings to undertake appropriate compliance and enforcement action, in line with its Compliance Posture Statement. By using the full suite of its statutory powers to ensure compliance, the APVMA creates a level playing field in which all industry stakeholders can supply their agvet chemical products in the Australian market.

2.3.3. Increased biosecurity risk

Biosecurity measures play a critical role in reducing the risk of invasive pests and diseases entering Australia. While Australia has long benefited from being an island nation, factors including a changing climate and the growth in trade volumes, are increasing the chance of incursions.

The APVMA is committed to working with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), state and territory governments and other partner agencies to improve the detection, monitoring and response to potential biosecurity concerns. The APVMAs response to the recent outbreaks of
varroa mite in bees and fall armyworm through rapid assessment and approvals of permits and working with state and federal departments demonstrates this commitment.

The last few years have seen several incursions of exotic pests or disease within Australia, including fall armyworms, banana freckle, red imported fire ants, and varroa mites. APVMA will continue to assist industry and the states and territories with responding to these, and any future incursions.

2.3.4. Economic circumstances and a changing climate

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARES) releases periodic agricultural outlook reports which forecast the gross value of agricultural production including livestock and crops. Changes in production, both increases and decreases, will have implications for chemical purchases and use, which has a strong correlation with the levy revenue received by the APVMA.

The world has experienced inflation at levels not seen in nearly 30 years. Inflation has had a significant effect on the cost of goods and services across Australia both for consumers and for industry. These inflationary pressures are, and will, continue to have significant impact on the APVMAs cost structure.

Due to the rapidly changing technological environment in which the agvet chemical industry operates, the APVMA is facing an increase in the complexity of applications, an increasing number and complexity of enquiries, and due to the very competitive labour market, increasing difficulty in securing the necessary and appropriate skills required to address these changing circumstances.

The APVMA will continue to adapt to these changing circumstances, keeping staff flexible to move to areas of higher immediate need, and will aim to work with government and industry to address the urgent financial constraints facing the agency.
A changing climate is expected to have consequences for the agvet chemical products that the APVMA regulates. Working within the Australian Government’s policy framework the APVMA will need to anticipate, manage and adapt to climate change related risks in both its internal operations and in how it approaches the regulation of agvet chemicals.

3. Strategic objectives and key activities

3.1. Strategic objective 1: Being a trusted, transparent and fair regulator

Trust in the APVMA by the Australian public is critical to maintaining confidence in Australian agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemicals. To ensure we are trusted, transparent, and fair we will:

• Strategic outcomes:
  • Regulate in an open, accountable and predictable way that encourages participation by all stakeholders.
  • Utilise best practice principles for risk management of agvet chemicals, underpinned by the best available science.
  • Build community confidence in the safety and efficacy of registered agvet chemicals.
  • Secure compliance with the Agvet Code through compliance and enforcement measures.
• Key deliverables:
  • Process Enhancement Initiative
  • Reporting and Cooperation Framework
  • Chemical Reviews (Ministerial Direction) Project
  • APVMA Performance Framework
  • Regulatory Posture Statement
  • Stakeholder Engagement Framework and Strategy

3.2. Strategic objective 2: Supporting a contemporary regulatory system

The APVMA actively works with domestic and international regulatory partners to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Australian regulatory system. To ensure we support a contemporary regulatory system, we will:

• Strategic outcomes:
  • Actively contribute to the domestic and global agvet chemical regulation policy development agenda.
  • Engage with trusted international chemical regulators for effective utilisation of their available data and scientific assessments.
  • Strengthen relationships with the state and territory agencies to ensure the coordinated, effective and harmonious regulation of agvet chemicals.
  • Enhance our capability to respond to emerging operational and policy risks in agvet chemical regulation.
• Key deliverables:
  • Support Australian Government implementation of the Detailed response to the final report on future structure and governance arrangements for the APVMA (November 2024).
  • Engagement in the Agvet Chemical Subcommittee of the Agriculture Senior Officials Committee to develop options to achieve national consistency for agvet chemicals control-of-use functions.
  • Review of Agricultural label standard
  • Review of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Code
  • Review of Minor Use Guideline
  • Revision of crop groupings

3.3. Strategic objective 3: Building regulatory foresight capability

Foresight is a critical part of our responsibility as a regulator. Foresight uses inputs from horizon scanning to understand how an issue or a system could evolve and the challenges and opportunities that may arise. The APVMA is committed to being proactive in meeting Australia’s future regulatory needs as they evolve. The APVMA will be vigilant to global and national trends, to identify issues and changes in chemical application and use and implement ways of working and building our capability to support innovation within the agvet chemical sector and respond to Australia’s future regulatory needs. To ensure we build our regulatory foresight capability, we will:

• Strategic outcomes:
  • Build the capability to ensure the APVMA is at the cutting edge of scientific knowledge and regulatory practice.
  • Engage with industry to understand and enable rapid response to emerging trends potentially impacting on agvet chemical regulation.
  • Actively engage with domestic and international regulators, industry representatives and others to assist in preparing for new technologies and enhancing current regulatory practices in Australia.
• Key deliverables:
  • Domestic and international fora engagement programs
  • Collaborate with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on the development of policy for methane reduction products
  • Guideline on Data Requirements for Veterinary Immunobiological Products
  • Process Enhancement Initiative

3.4. Strategic objective 4: Striving for operational excellence

APVMA plays a critical role in ensuring Australians have access to safe and effective agvet chemicals. The APVMA drives ongoing enhancement in the processes involved in effective regulation. This will ensure the regulatory process does not pose an undue burden on the Australian agvet chemical sector. To ensure we achieve operational excellence, we will:

• Strategic outcomes:
  • Be focused on the full suite of our regulatory functions and legislative obligations.
  • Ensure the quality and timeliness of our decisions are appropriate for the regulatory risk.
  • Operate on a financially sustainable basis across the long-term business cycle.
  • Adopt a continuous improvement approach to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations.
  • Streamline our enabling services to ensure they add value and enhance our regulatory capability and capacity.
  • Invest in our ICT infrastructure and the management of our data holdings to ensure it is fit for purpose and adds value, efficiency, and effectiveness to the regulatory process.
• Key deliverables:
  • Process Enhancement Initiative
  • PPLA Portal uplift program
  • ICT Shared Services
  • APVMA Emissions Reduction Plan
  • Remediation of Digitised Records
  • Effective Governance Project

3.5. Strategic objective 5: Attracting, developing and retaining talented people

Our people are critical to the delivery of an efficient and effective agvet chemical regulatory system. To ensure we attract, develop, retain and source talented people, and expertise, we will:

• Strategic outcomes:
  • Develop and empower a high-performing, diverse and agile workforce that is highly engaged with our purpose.
  • Strengthen our purpose-driven organisational culture.
  • Drive a culture focused on enhancing skills, providing opportunities for skill development whilst ensuring the safety and well-being of staff.
  • Invest in the professional and leadership development of our people and provide opportunities for career progression and growth.
  • Invest in a network of external talent and expertise that can be utilised to supplement the work of APVMA staff in delivering our regulatory responsibilities.
• Key deliverables:
  • Process Enhancement Initiative
  • Procurement capability uplift
  • Enhanced External Scientific Reviewer capability

4. Capability

4.1. Investing in regulatory maturity

Good regulation can enhance Australia’s economy, support business and benefit the wider community. As required under the Australian Government’s Regulatory Policy, Practice & Performance Framework (RPPPF) and Resource Management Guide – Regulator Performance (RMG 128), the APVMAs regulatory context is informed by the Ministerial Statement of Expectations and its responding Regulator Statement of Intent. The Authority is accountable to the public and recognises the need to improve and streamline regulation to deliver good outcomes.

The APVMA is developing a regulatory posture statement to improve awareness and understanding of its regulatory functions and responsibilities. The posture statement will describe the APVMAs adherence to the principles of good regulation outlined in the RPPPF and RMG 128. The posture statement will outline the key principles that underpin how we administer regulation of agvet chemical products. It will signal the Authority’s ongoing commitment to good regulation in accordance with the best principles of regulator performance: continuous improvement and building trust, risk-based and data driven, and collaboration and engagement.

The APVMA is committed to proactively improving its regulatory systems, ensuring that its practices and processes remain relevant and effective and that future improvements consider staff and stakeholder insights and perceptions on regulatory performance.

The APVMA will address issues identified in independent reviews as well as issues arising from the rapidly evolving regulated industry. Compliance with the agvet regulatory system is fundamental to the APVMA fulfilling its role, which it seeks to do by supporting voluntary compliance, balanced with risk-based proportionate action to deter non-compliant behaviour.

Building maturity across the regulatory system is ongoing and involves commitment at all levels. To support this, the APVMA will consider and apply regulatory initiatives to foster a deeper understanding of how each component to the regulatory system is performing and determine regulatory maturity priorities.

The APVMA will continue to work with Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), as outlined in the Detailed Response, to pursue legislative reform that will support Australia’s agvet chemical regulatory framework and the APVMA to ensure Australia’s public health, food and environmental safety.

4.2. Workforce

The APVMA People Plan 2024–27 sets the overarching direction and priorities for how we will support and develop its people to deliver on its purpose. The People Plan complements the Australian Public Service Workforce Strategy 2025 and is designed to identify and build the APVMA workforce capabilities now and into the future.

The Plan identifies the 4 key themes to deliver on the APVMAs purpose:

• attract, retain and develop talented people
• embed a mission-inspired organisational culture
• build purposeful and integrity-based leadership
• embrace data, HR Metrics and technology.

A key focus of the APVMA is to create a ‘mission-inspired culture’ that inspires staff to turn up to work each day and make a meaningful impact on the world.

People are at the heart of the APVMAs success, and we are focused on attracting, developing
and retaining talented staff as an ongoing priority. Through a well-supported and developed workforce, we will be able to deliver on its purpose effectively and efficiently. Through the delivery of contemporary training solutions and continuous development, the APVMAs workforce will be equipped with the skills and confidence to excel. The APVMA will also work to find new approaches
to areas of specific technical skill shortage through industry partnerships.

The APVMA will build, deliver and embed programs that support its people to be effective leaders aligned to the APS Values and build trust and integrity at all levels within the agency. We will focus on implementing a formalised succession planning approach to ensure leadership and critical role pipelines. Through the delivery of customised leadership development options the APVMA will build effective and targeted leadership capabilities and encourage and support mentoring arrangements to engender desired leadership behaviours.

The APVMA is committed to equipping its workforce with a comprehensive suite of policies and frameworks, ensuring they have the necessary support to excel in their roles and uphold the highest standards of professionalism within the Australian Public Service.

4.3. ICT

The ability of the APVMA to make scientifically robust and timely regulatory decisions is dependant not only on highly capable staff but also on the tools and systems provided to them. These tools and systems (mostly ICT) must be designed to support and enhance staff productivity, efficiency and wellbeing.

Investments will be guided by the APVMA ICT Strategy and Roadmap and APVMA ICT Transformation Plan. Ongoing investment in the capability of the APVMA, will:

• deliver secure, reliable, and sustainable ICT services
• better enable innovation, including transforming manual processes into improved digital practices
• assist in managing data as a critical asset and opportunity for the agency.

Delivering contemporary, secure, and robust business systems is critical for ensuring the APVMA remains a global leader in agvet chemical regulation. APVMA will continue to build the operational capability required to ensure information technology platforms are aligned with the needs of the APVMA and stakeholders, while also optimising value for money for the government.

Cyber security is an important focus across the APS. As information technology continues to change and evolve, so too does the need to remain vigilant and responsive to a more threatening technological landscape. The APVMA will continue to evolve its cyber security posture to achieve improvements in the Essential Eight Maturity rating while also addressing contemporary threats.

4.4. Risk

The APVMAs risk approach and culture enables its people to manage risks in accordance with the PGPA Act 2013, Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Commonwealth Risk Management Policy, and ISO 31000:2018 – Risk Management. The APVMA Enterprise Risk Management Framework outlines the principles, expectations, accountabilities and responsibilities for staff in applying effective risk management practices.

The framework also defines the risk appetite and provides risk tolerance statements. These statements articulate the quantum and type of risk the APVMA is willing to accept or retain to achieve its objectives.

The APVMA recognises that it is not possible, nor desirable, to eliminate all risks. Accepting some degree of risk in the agency’s practices promotes pragmatism, efficiency and innovation along with encouraging a more positive risk management culture. The APVMA fosters this through careful consideration of the risk appetite for each risk category, and then tolerance for individual risks, as outlined in the Risk Appetite and Tolerance Statement.

The risk matrix – used to assess, report and escalate risk – ensures maintenance of an appropriate and consistent level of risk management oversight, accountability and control.

APVMAs governance structures play an important role in ensuring it has effective leadership, direction, control, and accountability. The governance structures include:

• the APVMA Board which determines the risk appetite and tolerances and oversees the strategic risks that may affect the ability to deliver on the purpose and achieve its objectives
• the Audit and Risk Committee advises the Board and senior executives on the effectiveness of the systems of risk oversight, management and internal control
• the Executive Leadership Team steward the management of enterprise risks, and senior executives ensure risk-informed decision-making is embedded across business operations.

APVMA staff proactively engage with and practice risk management. Staff actively support and contribute to risk management initiatives, promote a positive risk management culture, and identify where there are risk management capability gaps and training needs.

4.5. Engagement and co-operation

The APVMAs approach to stakeholder engagement and cooperation is outward-looking and interactive, leveraging stakeholders’ expertise and harnessing collective capabilities to achieve better outcomes. Through the Stakeholder Engagement Framework, the APVMA aims to:

• regulate openly, accountably, and predictably while encouraging broad stakeholder participation
• apply best-practice principles for agvet chemical risk management, supported by the latest science
• build community confidence in the safety and efficacy of registered agvet chemicals
• ensure compliance with the Agvet Code through appropriate enforcement measures.

Engagement activities are both planned and responsive, ranging from formal consultations to informational meetings and correspondence. The APVMA engages with stakeholders when:

• fulfilling its regulatory obligations under legislation
• communicating regulatory decisions
• seeking feedback on operational changes
• sharing information with the public and specific stakeholder groups.

While the APVMA maintains required formal communication channels, it strives to be innovative and challenge conventional approaches to achieve more efficient and effective outcomes.

Stakeholders include regulated individuals and entities, industry representative bodies, agvet chemical users, the Australian Government, state and territory governments, other regulators and the Australian community.

5. Performance measures

5.1. Strategic objective 1: Being a trusted, transparent and fair regulator

5.2. Strategic objective 2: Supporting a contemporary regulatory system

5.3. Strategic objective 3: Building regulatory foresight capability

5.4. Strategic objective 4: Striving for operational excellence

5.5. Strategic objective 5: Attracting, developing and retaining talented people