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Individual vigilance saves industries
1 May 2001
National Quarantine Awards Category: Contribution to Cargo & Importing
Winner: Mr Ian Jamieson, Kuehne and Nagel Pty Ltd, Brisbane.
Customs Broker, Ian Jamieson, has taken out the Contribution to Cargo and Importing category at the 2001 National Quarantine Awards, held in Canberra this evening. Ian Jamieson's work has been recognised for its success in assisting to prevent the spread of exotic pests and diseases in the Brisbane area and beyond.
The National Quarantine Awards are designed to focus public attention on the importance of quarantine to our unique environment and Australian way of life. The awards recognise that quarantine is a shared responsibility and reward outstanding efforts in quarantine from a range of organisations and individuals across Australia.
Through his own initiative, Mr Jamieson, an employee of Kuehne and Nagel Pty Ltd , developed a system of personally notifying the AQIS sea cargo section of the impending arrival of 'high risk' sea vessels carrying cargo. Many of these vessels carry machinery and equipment that could be transported directly to rural areas.
Mr Jamieson detected of a small pool of water on a sea cargo vessel, which contained two different species of exotic mosquito larvae, both capable of carrying dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and malaria. After the detection of the mosquito species, Aedes Albopictus, the captured larvae transformed into an adult mosquito overnight in a jar.
"If I had not notified AQIS of the shipment, the mosquito may have hatched in the warm conditions and possibly escaped undetected," said Mr Jamieson.
On another occasion, his notification to AQIS prevented the potential spread of an exotic bark beetle and the possible introduction of several types of fungus and disease capable of decimating our timber industries.
The category judges agreed that Mr Jamieson has made an outstanding contribution to quarantine, over and above what would normally be part of his day-to-day business. He has demonstrated in very practical terms the 'shared responsibility' for quarantine.
This year, award applications were received across a wide range of industries and enterprises, from government departments and the corporate sector to community groups. The diversity of applications is a reminder of the broad spectrum of activities that are required to ensure effective quarantine measures are in place.
Expert panels representing industry and the community judged the 2000 National Quarantine Awards. The Contribution to Cargo & Importing judging panel comprised: David Walsh, AQIS NSW Regional Manager; Hart Krtschil (Chairman), QEAC member; Tony Beaver, Secretary of the Food and Beverage Importers Association.
The national judging panel comprised: Malcolm Nairn, QEAC Chair; Andrew Inglis, Deputy Chair QEAC; Mike Taylor, Secretary Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Meryl Stanton, Executive Director, AQIS.
For further information
Contact: Ben Smith or Jamie Snashall, Professional Public Relations
Phone: 02 6239 1333
Fax: 02 6239 1322
Additional information on the awards and quarantine issues can be found at www.aqis.gov.au