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AQIS targets prohibited herbal medicines
The growing trend in the use of herbal remedies has led to a call by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service to stop the entry of prohibited plant and animal products by Australians travelling overseas.
AQIS Executive Director Meryl Stanton said today people buying herbal remedies overseas should ensure they do not bring prohibited items such as ganoderma — a fungus, birds nest, seeds and bark, into Australia.
"The growing trend in the use of herbal remedies has meant that AQIS officers are seeing an increase in the number of travellers trying to bring into the country prohibited plant and animal products — many of which are expensive to buy," Ms Stanton said.
"Chinese New Year — a peak time for travel to Asia — is just weeks away and I would like to remind people travelling overseas during this period to find out about our quarantine laws before they go.
"People should remember the basic quarantine rule which is that it's illegal to bring food, plant and animal-based products into Australia. If in doubt, people should declare any food or animal products on the Passenger Declaration Card. Herbal remedies often include animal products which pose a risk to Australia's environment and agricultural industries," she said.
Plant pathologist at AQIS's Eastern Creek quarantine facility Kevin Davis said that unprocessed medicines containing viable seed and bark could potentially introduce new diseases to the country.
"The fungus ganoderma is prohibited in Australia because it attacks trees by rotting the roots, tree and fruit. This fungus potentially could kill our native forests," Mr Davis said.
"Birds nest — which includes saliva from swallows — could potentially introduce an exotic strain of Newcastle disease which could devastate our native bird population and poultry industry."
Apart from herbal medicines, other prohibited products regularly seized by AQIS at this time of year include pork, beef, chicken, and fruit and vegetables. People failing to declare items of quarantine concern can face on-the-spot fines or prosecution.
Check the AQIS web site at: http://www.aqis.gov.au for more information, "What can't I bring into Australia?", available in Chinese.
Media contacts (not for publication):
Contact: Carson Creagh - AQIS
Phone: (02) 6272 5156
Contact: Angela Calabrese - Cultural Perspectives
Phone: (02) 8585 1313