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Quarantine - in step with foot and mouth disease and increasing international airport arrivals
2 May 2001
AQIS is strengthening its protection of Australia from potentially devastating diseases like foot and mouth (FMD) in the face of a seven per cent increase in international airport arrivals over the past year, according to Colin Hunter, Manager of the AQIS Airport Program.
AQIS's daily FMD-related quarantine activities at international airports include:
- processing approximately 2900 passengers who meet an FMD profile, including all agricultural industry workers, backpackers and anyone who has visited a non-metropolitan area in a country where FMD is endemic;
- seizing some 950 prohibited items ; and
- arranging disinfection of contaminated clothing or footwear from about 650 passengers.
"AQIS has employed more resources to help protect Australia from FMD since its outbreak in the United Kingdom early this year. We have the equivalent of an extra 127 full-time employees, five new x-ray machines, six new detector dog teams in training and we are distributing information to all outgoing and incoming international passengers. We are on absolute red alert.
"AQIS has kept FMD out of Australia for almost 130 years and we're determined to keep it that way for at least another 130," Mr Hunter said.
Mr Hunter was speaking during National Quarantine Week, designed to remind people of the important role they can play in protecting Australia from exotic pest and disease risks, such as FMD.
Independent of the increased activity because of FMD, airport quarantine seizures during 2000-2001 have increased by nine per cent compared with seizures during 1999-2000.
"Over the last year, the incidence of quarantine seizures involving undeclared items was significantly higher - 38 per cent more - than the previous year," Mr Hunter said, "which signifies our focus on reducing leakage through our borders. That is, we're targeting travellers who simply forget to declare, as well as those who deliberately do not declare.
"Leakage of prohibited items through Australian airports is at its lowest level in five years, despite a 22 per cent growth in passenger numbers over the same period.
"AQIS's risk management procedures are being continually improved with staff being allocated to areas where they are most needed. We have learnt a lot about the habits of the travelling public over the past few years so we apply this information to target those travellers who present a quarantine risk," Mr Hunter said.
National Quarantine Week, 30 April - 6 May 2001
For interview:
Contact: Colin Hunter
Phone: 02 6272 5235
Mobile: 0419 294 675
For media inquiries:
Contact: Carson Creagh
Phone: 02 6272 5156
Mobile: 0414 577 472