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Travellers asked to help keep Australia free of disease
11 June 2001
TRAVELLERS ASKED TO HELP KEEP AUSTRALIA FREE OF DISEASE AQIS has appealed to Australian travellers to help stop the entry of diseases which could potentially devastate our economy
AQIS Border Surveillance Manager Bob Murphy today said that while concern surrounding the European outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) is warranted, there are many more pests and diseases that threaten Australia's wellbeing.
"Many of these pests and diseases could enter Australia through our airports, unwittingly carried in someone's luggage," Mr Murphy said.
"All it takes is for someone to be careless with a piece of fruit or a meat product to allow a major new disease to gain a foothold in Australia.
"We've seen the shocking effects of FMD in the UK - we don't want that here.
"We particularly urge returning travellers to play their part in helping to protect our environment and economy," Mr Murphy said. Travellers should declare on their Incoming Passenger Card all food or items of plant or animal origin, including meat, dairy products and straw packing or equipment used with animals.
Some major diseases and their potential effects on the economy are:
FMD - all livestock-based exports worth $10-$12 billion a year would be threatened ·
Exotic Newcastle disease, carried by eggs and birds, could wipe out the poultry industry and native bird population
Citrus canker would halve Australia's citrus production ·
Chestnut blight, carried on nuts or plants, could destroy our chestnut export industry and threaten native eucalypts
Remember, clean all footwear, camping or sporting equipment to remove any trace of soil; and pack goods for quarantine inspection in one bag. This will help travellers clear the airport faster.
For more information in (insert one of following languages Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Korean, Polish, Portugese, German, Japanese, Thai, visit the AQIS web site at www.aqis.gov.au or ask your travel agent for an AQIS brochure.
Contact: Carson Creagh, AQIS media - (02) 6272 5156 or (0414) 577 472
Angela Calabrese, Cultural Perspectives (02) 8585 1313