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Sydney's Quarantine - in step with foot and mouth disease and increasing international airport arrivals
2 May 2001
AQIS Sydney is strengthening its protection of Australia from potentially devastating diseases like foot and mouth (FMD) in the face of a 10.73 per cent increase in international airport arrivals over the past year, according to Erik Lielkajis, Manager of AQIS Sydney Airport.
Over the last week, AQIS's enhanced FMD-related quarantine activities at Sydney's international airport included:
- processing approximately 8,500 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 2,500 prohibited items; and
- arranging disinfections of contaminated footwear from about 1,500 passengers.
"AQIS in Sydney 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 47 extra full-time employees, 2 new x-ray machines 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 Lielkajis said.
Mr Lielkajis 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, Sydney airport quarantine seizures have increased by 19.5 per cent since April 2000.
"Over the last year, the incidence of quarantine seizures involving undeclared items was significantly higher - 20.3 per cent more - than the previous year," Mr Lielkajis 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 mean that we're x-raying more bags too - around 11.2 per cent more. In fact, leakage of prohibited items through the Green Channel is at its lowest level in 5 years.
"AQIS's risk management procedures are being continually improved with staff being allocated to areas where they are most needed. For example, since March 2001 extra AQIS staff, in addition to our detector dog teams, are present in airport baggage halls to further screen passengers," Mr Lielkajis said.
National Quarantine Week, 30 April - 6 May 2001
For interview:
Contact: Erik Lielkajis
Phone: 02 9667 2690