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AQIS Bulletin - April/May 2009

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Image of the front cover of the AQIS Bulletin April-May 2009 edition

 

New Biosecurity Services Group—first step

Following last year's independent review of Australia's quarantine and biosecurity services (the Beale Review) the first step towards implementing the recommendations has been re-defining the way we are structured.

From 1 July 2009, a new group will be formed within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry called the Biosecurity Services Group.

This new structure will integrate the functions and responsibilities of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), Biosecurity Australia (BA) and Product Integrity, Animal and Plant Health (PIAPH).

This new structure will better support consistent service delivery along the biosecurity continuum (pre-border, border and post-border), and provide the right balance of management, science, policy, operations and client relationships.

In addition, from 1 July five consolidated regions will focus on the way our national programs need to be delivered, rather than relying on state and territory boundaries to define our services.

H1N1 Influenza 09 (Human Swine Influenza) incident

On 24 April 2009 the World Health Organization advised the Australian Government of an outbreak of influenza. For the latest information visit the Department of Health and Ageing website, the AQIS website and smartraveller website. The Commonwealth Health Hotline is 1802007.

AQIS wins both state and national nursery awards

AQIS's Post Entry Plant Quarantine team at Knoxfield was awarded the 2009 Nursery and Garden Industry Australia Supplier Award, at the annual Nursery & Garden Industry Awards held in March 2009. This is on the back of winning the State 2009 Nursery and Garden Industry of Victoria (NGIV) Award for the 'Supplier of the Year' in January!

Knoxfield is the only government post-entry quarantine facility for high risk plants in Victoria.

The state and national awards are the first received by an AQIS plant quarantine centre. The facility is held in high regard by the horticultural industry and the awards are testament to the strong relationship staff have built up with industry.

The safe and efficient facilitation of plant material through Knoxfield provides industry with confidence that imported plant material will be free of exotic pests and diseases, protecting our markets and export industry.

Knoxfield has been an accredited facility with NIASA (Nursery Industry Accreditation Scheme Australia) for more than a decade. The AQIS team members are Kimberley Thomas, Zoee Maddox, Kirsty McDermid, Ray Ward, Robin Eichner and Mark Whattam. In addition, the horticultural team members have recently each been awarded Certified Nursery Professional (CNP) status. CNP members are recognised for their professional integrity, knowledge and skills to provide superior services to consumers and the horticultural industry.

Manager Kimberley Thomas commented, 'Through the detection of plant diseases we provide invaluable protection to the Australian horticultural and agricultural industries worth 32 billion dollars annually. Furthermore, the Knoxfield Plant Quarantine Centre educates and promotes the safe entry of plant germplasm into Australia.'

Nursery and Garden Industry Australia is continuing to provide an important source of inspiration and encouragement by showcasing the extraordinary capabilities of individuals and businesses within the industry.

Commenting on the Nursery and Garden Industry Awards, Robert Prince, Nursery and Garden Industry President noted, 'The future of the Australian Nursery and Garden industry is in great hands if the range and quality of award entries is any indication.'

AQIS paves the way for trade with Russia

AQIS has paved the way for future trade of Australian fish to the Russian Federation, with officials from Russia conducting an audit of the production and management of 10 fish export establishments across Australia in December 2008.

During the two-week visit, facilitated by AQIS, officials from the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation (Rosselkhoznadzor) accepted Australia’s export systems and procedures. Five establishments were approved immediately for export to Russia with the other five being permitted to export pending AQIS assurances that minor issues raised by the Russians were addressed.

A positive visit also saw the finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Rosselkhoznadzor and AQIS on future conditions for exporting fish and fish products from Australia to the Russian Federation.

The MoU will further enhance trade prospects by providing a mechanism for simplified access for Australian fish and fish products into the Russian Federation, with AQIS assuming the primary responsibility for determining export eligibility audits of fishing vessels and cold stores.

Included is implementing an electronic certification system which further enhances market access by enabling verification and pre-advice of veterinary certificates issued by AQIS—facilitating clearance of product at the Russian border.

An expert group will also be formed to assist in resolving any related export issues and to provide a forum for further negotiation regarding market access requirements.

A great outcome for Australian fish exports and Australia.

Industry improving biosecurity knowledge with automotive visit

Key automotive industry stakeholders from Thailand visited Port Brisbane and Port Kembla, NSW recently in an industry-initiated visit designed to share knowledge and strategies to keep quarantine risk offshore when it comes to importing new cars.

Between October 2007 and February 2008, more than 17,000 contaminated imported vehicles were identified by AQIS as coming from Thailand. Figures indicate so far this year that these strategies have seen approximately a 92 per cent reduction in contaminated cars coming from Thailand.

In Brisbane, Australian Amalgamated Terminals (AAT), Port of Brisbane Corporation, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and AQIS hosted the first leg of the group's three day visit starting with presentations at the Port of Brisbane Visitor Centre.

From there the Thai delegation, made up of staff from the Thai Department of Agriculture and local car manufacturers Toyota, Honda and Isuzu, were transported to the AAT terminal wharfside for a full observation of AQIS inspection processes.

AQIS officer Andrew Yang stepped the delegation through the complete inspection process—including how to verify a vehicle is new by checking for clean air filters, examining storage grease, plastic coatings and looking for unworn tyres.

Nothing was left unturned as the engine bay, radiator, grill, wheel arches, door seals, locks, protective coating, interior, exterior, and underside of several vehicles were all inspected to show the delegation likely quarantine risk material contamination points for seed, grass and soil.

The delegation also learnt about the process AQIS officers follow when risk material is detected and the treatment options.

After viewing the new car inspection process at the AAT terminal, the delegation visited Port Kembla with an Australian and Thai government meeting scheduled soon after.

The visit is a good example of key industry stakeholders willing to work with the Australian Government and industries to improve biosecurity knowledge and put in place offshore mitigation strategies.

BA and AQIS helping to return Antarctica to its pristine condition

Years of scientific expeditions to Antarctica have left their mark—tonnes of historic waste, ranging from rusty railway tracks to old tins of milk powder, and even dead huskies. Under the Madrid Protocol—the protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on environmental protection—this waste is required to be cleaned up and returned to its host countries.

Biosecurity Australia, AQIS and the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts are collaborating to develop measures to enable the repatriation of Australia's historic waste, including its adherent soil. Waste that is currently generated by Australia is either incinerated or returned to Australia for recycling or disposal.

Ms Patricia Thornhill from AQIS, Dr Brendan Smith and Dr Colin Grant from Biosecurity Australia visited the Thala Valley and the abandoned Wilkes Station in Antarctica in January to examine the rubbish and assess how best to manage its disposal after its return to Australia.

For more information visit the Australian Antarctic Division website.  

Tet Festival—Year of the Ox

A mock market stall with common Vietnamese foodstuffs and quarantine risk items, coupled with eager volunteers, made for a vibrant and well received AQIS stall at the Vietnamese Tet festival celebrated in Richlands, Brisbane. Tet celebrates Vietnamese Lunar New Year, and is the most important festival of the year in the Vietnamese calendar.

Bilingual officer Tam Phan and Communication officer Maryanne Kepui staffed a 'market feel' display at what is the largest Vietnamese Tet festival of its kind in south-east Queensland.

For Tam, the opportunity to work in a professional capacity sharing his Vietnamese language skills and knowledge as a quarantine officer was an experience he didn't want to miss. 'I had a gentleman say to me that it made him happy to see a young Australian-Vietnamese doing his part to better educate the Vietnamese community and we were doing a job well done.

'That made me feel extremely happy and proud of the work that I do. It's good to see that people understand the importance of quarantine,' says Tam.

Tam's work at the stall complemented his earlier pre-recorded radio messages in Vietnamese which aired on SBS radio in the lead-up to Tet festivals around the nation.

In-language travel and mail brochures, fact sheets, AQIS publications, luggage tags, pins and pens were distributed to the many visitors to the stall over the two nights of the festival, many of whom were intrigued about the commonly seized items on display encouraging questions.

Speaking directly with the community also provided valuable insight into the levels of quarantine knowledge held by the Vietnamese community. 

Fifty-seven per cent of visitors to the stall wanted to know general information about AQIS—who we are and what we do—and were most interested in learning about the import conditions for fruit and vegetables, eggs and dairy products and plant products.  

'That's the great thing about being at an event like this. Community members can get expert advice, put a name to the face, and can see we are a very approachable government agency,' says Maryanne. 

'For some communities in some cultures there can be great fear of "government officials". So I found it personally rewarding to be see dozens of people approach our stand, keen to get information.'

Being part of the festivals such as Tet is just one component of AQIS's successful Quarantine Matters! awareness campaign to reach multicultural communities with up-to-date, in-language quarantine information.

Participating in local community festivals and events is a powerful way to engage at the grass-roots level, and for AQIS it is an excellent way to talk one-on-one with the public and spread key biosecurity messages in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.

Burrowing beetles bite off more than they can chew

The working partnership between the cargo management and shipping industry and AQIS becomes more important each day as exotic pests are stopped from entering Australia.

Victorian AQIS officer, Brian Meehan, responded to a call from Pacific Shipping staff about a consignment that showed evidence of frass—an indication that live insects are present. Frass is produced when live wood-boring insects tunnel through timber, leaving behind a saw-dust like substance. On closer inspection, Brian found three live beetles, which were later identified by AQIS entomologists as the Auger beetle Sinoxylon anale.

Many auger beetles are exotic pests and pose a serious quarantine risk to Australia. As they feed on various hardwood timbers and bamboo, the spread of auger beetles could have devastating effects on Australia's furniture industries and forests.

The Auger beetle S. anale is found throughout many parts of the world. It is an introduced species to Australia and is now established across the northern part of Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland.

If you find any auger beetles or other suspect looking pests, make sure you SEE. SECURE. REPORT and call AQIS on 1800 020 504.

The hidden truth: AQIS and industry working together to trial timber pest detection technologies

Detecting timber pests using traditional techniques such as visual inspection is problematic because timber can be infested but not show any visible signs such as emergence holes or frass.

The good news is that there have been several recent advances in timber pest detection technologies that may enable inspections to be conducted with a greater degree of confidence.

With this in mind, AQIS ran a pilot trial in Melbourne to gauge the effectiveness of a range of technologies and equipment for possible use in AQIS inspections to detect insects such as termites and beetle larvae present in imported timber and timber products including yachts.

AQIS has been using visual inspection, detector dogs and occasionally X-ray units to detect pests in imported wood products. Detector dogs and X-rays are not always available at inspection points, and maintenance and training needs contribute to significant ongoing costs.

With input from external State and Commonwealth government agencies such as CSIRO and the Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW), as well as Buy-wise Inspections and Top Dog Pest Solutions, the trial tested more than 120 wood samples— both naturally infested and uninfested (control) samples.

Treatment 1—X-ray: AQIS's current Hymen X-ray unit, mounted in a mobile van, was used to X-ray the samples.

Treatment 2—Detector dogs: Detector dogs from Buy-wise Inspections and Top Dog Pest Solutions, Melbourne, examined all the wood samples.

Treatment 3—Termatrac®: Termatrac® equipment supplied by Buy-wise Inspections and Top Dog Pest Solutions to test all the randomly numbered   samples was used.

Treatment 4—Thermal imaging camera: A thermal imaging camera supplied by Buy-wise Inspections and Top Dog Pest Solutions was used to test the samples.

Treatment 5—Visual inspection: Two AQIS officers performed routine visual inspections (noting suspected to be infested vs free of insects) for each of the samples.

Treatment 6—Tramex moisture meter: A Tramex moisture meter supplied by Buy-wise Inspections and Top Dog Pest Solutions was used to test the samples.

Treatment 7—Acoustic Device: An AED2000L Acoustic Emission Detector was used to test the samples.

The results from the trial are now being analysed and recommendations will be made on the basis of their efficacy.

Wood samples from the trial were also used for a second cold treatment trial in Melbourne, to measure the efficacy of cold treatment for killing pests in timber. There has been a world-wide push for alternatives to methyl bromide and other traditional treatments of infested wooden products owing to harmful environmental impacts.

The infested wood samples were kept in a freezer at the Melbourne office for varying lengths of time (1 to 14 days). Treated samples were removed from the freezer, defrosted, then destructively sampled. All insects recovered were counted, measured, identified, and their condition noted (alive or dead).  At least 100 insects were recovered, all of which were dead, which indicates that the treatment was successful.

The outcome of the trials will be reported on soon and may be used to provide AQIS with additional options for treating a range of timber products effectively, maintaining quarantine integrity while being friendly to the environment. 

Taiwan and Australia: now more organic

In January 2009 an equivalency agreement was reached between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Australia on organic-labelled products imported into Taiwan. Australia has been exporting certified organic-labelled products to Taiwan for years with mixed success.

The Taiwanese government recently formalised requirements for imported organic-labelled products and in an attempt to reach an equivalency of systems agreement, AQIS submitted documentation (National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce, export legislation) to the Taiwan Council of Agriculture last year.

Following the review the equivalency agreement was reached and details of AQIS-approved certifying organisations were published into Taiwanese law; providing formal recognition of the Australian system for the export of organic-labelled products. While a number of other countries were also recognised, Australia was the only country to have all products, including processed foods, recognised by the Taiwanese authorities.

Organic-labelled products exported to Taiwan include wine, beef, wheat and flour, oats, fenugreek, sunflower oil, and mung beans. 

For more information on the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce, see the AQIS website.

Good for the goose

AQIS Broome vet John Curran was recently advised that a 2+ year old male magpie goose had travelled 445 kms at a bearing of 40 degrees in just over a year.

Members of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts' Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme had caught and sampled the goose for avian influenza testing at Kununurra in October 2007—it was located again at Harrison Dam NT in December 2008. 

The report adds valuable information on the nomadic movement patterns of waterfowl in northern Australia, providing a link between the Kununurra and Darwin populations and potential for avian viruses to disperse.

'This gave us some valuable information and we look forward to receiving further reports to increase our knowledge of goose movements. As a picture of the movements of these animals across our region forms it could have important implications for how we monitor for avian influenza in the future,' said John.

Each year AQIS vets working under the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS), often in partnership with other organisations such as the Australasian Wader Studies Group or Charles Darwin University, capture hundreds of migratory waders, magpie geese and ducks across northern Australia. The captures are used to obtain several different types of information—such as banding the birds to check on movement patterns. In AQIS's case, blood and cloacal samples are taken from the birds and these are tested for exotic avian diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu (H5N1).

'I instigated the banding of waterfowl in the top end of WA, NT and Queensland about three years ago,' John says. 'Besides satellite tracking, which is expensive, this is the next best way to monitor movements. It provides useful information on the movement of geese and potential for avian diseases to spread across the north via overlapping populations.'

Since its emergence in 1996, the H5N1 virus has spread around the world. It causes high mortality in affected flocks and still more birds must be culled from commercial or domestic flocks to stop its spread. It has had the most severe effects in Asia where poultry tend to live in close proximity to humans. To date more than 250 people have died and more than 140 million birds have either been infected or destroyed.

At present the virus is generally not spread directly by human-to-human contact and requires contact with infected birds. Scientists fear H5N1 could combine with a human flu virus and this mutation could be the catalyst for a human flu pandemic.

Australia remains free from highly pathogenic avian influenza. Through this surveillance work AQIS contributes information which suggests migratory bird movements in the Australian context are currently low risk for introduction of avian flu.

Indigenous ant–trapping program yields results

Marthakal Rangers at Galiwin'ku, Elcho Island, Anindilyakwa Rangers at Angurugu, and Thamarrurr Rangers at Wadeye have been the first to discover ginger ants (Solenopsis geminate) in their communities, while carrying out surveillance for AQIS.

Ginger ants are a serious environmental and agricultural pest and of considerable human health concern as they have a nasty sting, an aggressive attitude and a liking for households. The species is closely related to the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, which is currently under eradication in Brisbane.

Native to tropical America, but widespread throughout the tropics including Asia and the Pacific, the ginger ant has been present in Darwin for many years. It is also known to be in Katherine and the Tiwi Islands and was eradicated from Kakadu a few years ago. These are the first sightings of the ant in these more remote regions.

AQIS pays the ranger groups to do surveillance and monitoring around their communities. This enhances the possibility of detecting any exotic pests that may have established in remote areas. AQIS's concerns are for new invaders from overseas but an additional benefit from the collaboration is that it can also bring to light harmful pest species on the move.

With early detection, it is often possible to eradicate pests before they become too firmly established and widespread. Plotting all the trapping sites where none of the ants were found provides useful data as to its likely spread in a community and aids eradication efforts.

Helping keep the food supply safe in East Timor

AQIS Darwin-based staff recently travelled to East Timor as part of a multi-agency taskforce charged with enhancing local growers' ability to identify various pests and diseases of maize and tomatoes.

Maize is an important staple of the East Timorese diet and tomatoes are their 'cash crop', so both are crucial to the young country's ability to feed its people.

AQIS Entomologist Glenn Bellis and Plant Pathologist Jane Ray joined colleagues from the Northern Territory Department of Regional Development, Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources, to progress the project, partly funded by the Australian Government through AusAID.

'The Northern Territory team had trained the East Timorese Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) trainers on a previous visit,' said Jane. 'Our role was to assist in preparing training materials and to go into the regional areas with the MAF trainers to field technical questions from the trainees—regional MAF staff, farmers and agricultural college students.'

The team conducted three workshops in the regions of Same, Ainaro and Alieu.

Project team leader Dr Peter Stephens, from the NT department, said: 'The project aims to reduce crop losses and increase food security in East Timor, while at the same time bolstering Australia's defences against exotic pest incursions.

'This is being achieved by helping farmers identify the pests that are destroying their crops, which in turn allows them to identify and use the most efficient method of control.

'While helping East Timor, this increased diagnostic capability can potentially act as an early warning system for Australia, letting us know what new exotic pathogens are heading this way.'

Glenn Bellis said, 'I was so impressed with how well the MAF staff delivered the training to the regional farmers and crew. They made the sessions enjoyable and kept everyone on their toes.'

Jane noted 'The enthusiasm and hunger for education and scientific knowledge was overwhelming.'

Jane and Glenn were able to include some field surveillance in the trip, and specimens were collected for demonstration purposes and for further identification in Australia.

Jane value-added by providing a day's training for East Timorese quarantine staff, teaching them how to make agar plates out of locally available materials such as potatoes, agar and a pressure cooker. This knowledge will enable them to culture for fungal pathogens.

Glenn, together with project participants from Charles Sturt University and the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food, has since assisted with more workshops, this time to help farmers identify pests and diseases in rice.

Australia's Most Unwanted—black spined toad

As we know, Australia has an overabundance of the introduced cane toad (Bufo marinus) and has so far been spared the scourge of the black spined toad (Bufo melanostictus).

East Timor has the opposite problem—multitudes of black spined toads—but so far, no documented invasion of the cane toad.

Black spined toads look very similar to cane toads, but are smaller.

Black spined toads are picked up fairly regularly during AQIS inspections of ships and cargo that have come to Australia from countries to our north, including via East Timor.

They are commonly found on international vessels, shipping containers, machinery and personal effects such as bags, boxes and cartons. They like to shelter in dark, moist areas such as shoes and are often seen at night under street lamps, especially during summer when winged termites swarm.

In Australia, the shipping and cargo community is crucial in keeping a watch for these invaders and AQIS is notified of any sightings.

Quarantine officers in East Timor are also anxious not to add the cane toad to their number of exotic pests and both countries are constantly on the lookout for any new toad invaders.

If you SEE any suspect findings, SECURE them where possible and immediately REPORT them to AQIS on 1800 020 504.

Fishy exports from Cairns to Dubai

A Cairns business is putting Australia on the map in the world of wholesale aquarium animals, and AQIS is helping it get there.

Cairns Marine has just completed shipping nearly 200 tonnes of aquarium animals to the Middle East to be displayed in one of the largest marine tanks in the world at the Dubai Mall.

The shipment included reef fish, grey reef sharks, moray eels and a 200 kilogram Queensland grouper. AQIS inspected the fish prior to export to certify that the animals were healthy.

Company Director Lyle Squire said they export to 20 different countries including Europe, the United States and Asia, but Dubai is a new market.

'Australian aquarium fish are some of the most expensive in the world because the hand capture process is regarded as the world's best practice,' Mr Squire said.

'Many fish sold in the international marine aquarium trade have been collected using cyanide to stun the fish prior to capture. This destructive fishing practice kills many smaller organisms and degrades the reef habitats.'

'The result of using cyanide can eventually kill the collected fish and there’s nothing more expensive in this business than a dead fish,' he said.

Cairns Marine employs 30 full-time staff including seven divers, and has two boats which are used to collect specimens from the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea and inter-reef areas.

Greek journalists get the AQIS treatment

While on an adventure around the world in their Land Rover, two Greek journalists made a quick stop through quarantine in Perth.

Akis Temperidis and Vula Netu are travelling around the world, through 80 countries, in their Land Rover… and they plan on doing this in 800 days! After visiting countries such as Africa, Turkey, India and Thailand they decided to venture south and make their way towards the land we call Australia.

Akis and Vula followed all the correct procedures and shipped their vehicle to Fremantle, where it was taken to a Quarantine Approved Premise. This is where AQIS officers Mary Andrijich and Craig Burleigh inspected the vehicle and other personal effects.

'Having been driven through so many countries it is important we inspect every inch of the vehicle, ensuring no soil or plant material is released into our unique environment,' said Mary.

Unfortunately, the vehicle was still contaminated so it was sent to Luckens, a Quarantine Approved Wash Pad. The following day the vehicle was professionally cleaned and the sub frames and channels of the vehicle were flushed clean. Martin Newcombe, Supervisor of the Mobile Response Group and Manned Depots, carried out the second inspection and made sure the vehicle could be released.

'Your procedures maybe considered too much for the outsiders but believe me what you do is justified from the vulnerability of the Australian environment and production,' said Akis.

Once the inspection was complete, Martin was able to give the thumbs up and release the vehicle. Akis and Vula were delighted to be on the road again and very grateful to AQIS for allowing them to create awareness of quarantine on their website, in their documentary and in their magazine.

Resource energy not the only GAS coming out of PNG

It was a glance out of the corner of a Qantas baggage handler's eye that resulted in what's believed to be the first detection in a decade of a live Giant African Snail (GAS) at Cairns International Airport.

Peter Hanley and his colleague Eddy Benn had just finished unloading the luggage from the rear cargo hold of the Qantas Dash 8 aircraft which had arrived from the Western Province town of Tabubil (pronounced Tah-boo-bill) in Papua New Guinea. Peter said he noticed what looked like a shell in the corner of the hold but found it was a live snail after picking it up.

AQIS was contacted immediately and the aircraft was ordered into quarantine.

The snail was positively identified by AQIS scientists who were surprised by the location of the snail, as most GAS's are found on shipping containers and large machinery coming into Cairns.

'We thought it was an empty shell at first but we decided we better go and have a look at it in case it was something out of the ordinary,' Eddy said.

'Our main concern is the luggage, but looking for anything foreign in the cargo holds is always in the back of our minds—especially when we open the doors after the plane has landed,' Peter said.

Peter said he doesn't want foreign pests in Australia but didn't really understand the significance of finding the snail.

The giant African snail (Achatina fulica) is one of the world's most destructive pests of fruit and vegetables. Growing up to 30 centimetres long and weighing up to a kilogram, it is known to eat around 500 species of plants including cocoa, papaya, peanut, rubber trees and most varieties of beans, peas, cucumbers and melons.

Giant African snails are regarded as a delicacy in many countries and deliberate introductions to new areas are probably responsible for the pest's spread to Indian and Pacific Ocean islands.

This pest is most likely to enter Australia on plant material, or on crates, shipping containers, machinery and motor vehicles. Its eggs can also be carried in soil. As well as eating a wide variety of vegetation, giant African snails have also been recorded attacking eucalypt trees and could threaten Australia's native forests.

Australian dairy products destined for India

It has been more than five years since Australian dairy products have been exported to India, a drought now broken by AQIS with the approval of a new health certificate by the Indian Ministry of Agriculture.

The Indian government advised on 19 February it had approved the use of the new health certificate, developed by AQIS, and based on Australia's existing food safety and animal health systems.

Trade in Australian dairy products stopped in late 2003 when India changed its import requirements. The average annual value of Australian dairy product exported to India in the five years prior to the market closure was more than $6 million, and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke, welcomed the latest news.
'I'm pleased that Australian producers will again have access to the Indian market for dairy products.

'This outcome is the result of extensive efforts by the Australian Government and the dairy industry over the last several years,' Mr Burke said.

'The re-opening of trade is a further example of the growing agricultural relationship between Australia and India, and demonstrates the benefits of our ongoing cooperation on bilateral trade issues.'

Indian importers are keen to take Australian high quality dairy products and several Australian dairy exporters have already expressed a keen interest in exporting products for human consumption.

There is real potential for the trade to grow with increasing urbanisation in India and a growing middle class. Australia will be well placed to provide high–value dairy products. 

Quarantine Approved: Rowing from Australia to Mauritius in 100 days

For most 23-year-olds breaking a world record is the last thing on their mind, but not for Sarah Outen.

Sarah has just set off to break the world record for being the first woman to row across the Indian Ocean in less than 100 days. Sarah recently set sail from Fremantle and is expected to arrive in Mauritius in world record time.

AQIS had a small part to play in this world record challenge. Sarah brought pre-packaged food over from England. This food was placed into quarantine and held by AQIS, pending her departure. Some of the food was fine to bring into Australia; however, a small amount of food was destroyed as it was a quarantine risk.

'I have been in contact with Sarah over the past three months to make sure she was aware of the quarantine processes. She has been very compliant and was very keen to work closely with us to ensure this adventure is smooth sailing,' said AQIS officer Donna Maggs.

AQIS officers met with Sarah before she departed from the Fremantle Sailing Club. After a few handshakes, well wishes and photos, the cleared rations were handed over to Sarah who loaded up her row boat and started to focus on the challenge ahead.

'I have spent time with a sports psychotherapist to prepare and I am anticipating it to be a long roller-coaster ride emotionally, especially early on in the journey,' said Sarah.

If you would like to know how Sarah is going, visit her blog.  

Quarantine ist sehr Wichting!! German radio interview for Quarantine Matters!!

Nature hat Australien wunder schoen gemacht, Quarantine macht sicher das es so bleibt! When translated to English this means: Nature made Australia unique, Quarantine makes sure it stays like this! This is the message Olaf Rosentreter recently promoted when he was interviewed by the SBS radio.

Creating awareness about quarantine and the Quarantine Matters! campaign is very important. One way we can get the message out into the non-English speaking communities is through radio.

'It is crucial we promote the quarantine messages within the community. It is great to have bilingual officers who can bridge the gap between non-English speaking communities,' said Lucia Britton, WA AQIS Communication officer.

Olaf, one of our bilingual AQIS officers, is fluent in German. He is a confident, media friendly officer who has just participated in his second German translated radio interview.

'I am always happy to be interviewed in the German language as I know how important it is to promote quarantine in the non-English speaking communities around Australia,' said Olaf.

The interview was a great success and was played on the SBS radio station for several weeks.

Quarantine ist sehr Wichting!! Quarantine Matters!!

AQIS specialising in timber yacht inspections

The cargo of the ocean-going yacht carrier Super Servant 4 is playing a key role in training AQIS officers specialising in timber yacht inspections.

The semi-submersible transport carrier docks at the Port of Brisbane twice a year, carrying up to 45 luxury yachts ranging from vintage wooden vessels to super yachts and motor cruises.

For AQIS officers, the number and variety of yachts in one place at one time is a windfall as officers can be assessed and accredited across a range of vessel types in a matter of days.

AQIS entomologist Bill Crowe runs the theory and practical based accreditation package for South Queensland, which also involves case studies and on-the-job training.

'Termites account for approximately 90 per cent of the pests found in vessels,' said Bill.

'Termites are cryptic in nature and don't like to show themselves. So as part of our practical assessment we make sure that officers get used to thoroughly checking an area over—moving items out of an area if need be.'

Officers are trained in termite biology, vessel construction and timber classification, as well as the importation process, risk pathways and categorising vessel risk. 

Termites of significant concern include subterranean and drywood species such as the Formosan termite and Western drywood termite.

Once established, the Formosan subterranean termite is able to live indefinitely without soil contact and is capable of causing severe structural damage to fixtures like houses and vessels. It is also known to be able to chew through plastic, thin layers of soft metal and asphalt.

The Western drywood termite also exists in isolation from the ground, often in very small pieces of timber. The only tell tale sign of its presence is often dry granular frass appearing via 'kick-out' holes in timber furnishings/fittings.

Both these termites have caused considerable damage in Florida and the south-western states of the USA. In California and Arizona alone, $250 million is spent annually on eradicating drywood termites.

In January this year, four Brisbane officers successfully completed their yacht accreditation, joining the ranks of 14 other trained officers in the south Queensland region working to help maintain Australia's biosecurity integrity.

Historic Quarantine Station still serving the community

In 1833 the Colonial Secretary's Office published a Bill concerning quarantine on all arriving ships and their cargo. This was just the beginning for the Woodman Point Quarantine Station in Munster, Western Australia.

Named after Thomas Woodman who accompanied Captain Stirling on the HMS Success, ships arriving into Fremantle from 1886 were taken to the Woodman Point Station for quarantine. Thousands of passengers have passed through the doors at the station infected with diseases such as small pox, bubonic plague, venereal disease and the Spanish Flu.

The station has been closed since 1979 but with the continuous efforts of several dedicated men and women and the WA Department of Sport and Recreation, the land and its buildings have been restored.

Many visitors are taken on a tour of the station and shown historic quarantine artefacts such as the Isolation or Plague Hospital, fumigation chambers and crematorium. The Manager of the camp, Ken Burton, is keen to set up an interpretation centre so the history of the station is not forgotten.

The station is now being used by school groups, families and a variety of organisations; however, the quarantine history is still a major part of the camp and will continue to be recognised for its interesting past.

Jet Pets and AQIS assist in bushfire relief initiative

The staff and clients of the AQIS Spotswood Animal Quarantine Station have teamed up with Jet Pets Animal Transport to do their bit for animals injured in the recent Victorian bushfires.

All the unwanted travel crates from animals previously serving quarantine periods have been donated to Animal Aid located in Coldstream, Victoria.

Staff at Spotswood were initially worried about how to get the crates to Coldstream but Jet Pets responded quickly to transport the crates to affected areas.

Jet Pets Animal Transport, an international animal shipping company, kindly agreed to deliver the crates free of charge. Danny Burkandt, Import Manager with Jet Pets was asked about their involvement.

'When Jet Pets were told that the team at Spotswood were donating the left over import crates to Animal Aid to support the Bush Fire relief effort we were only too happy to team up and support with the transportation of the crates to Coldstream. I thought this was a fantastic initiative by AQIS and as such, Jet Pets were proud to assist in this cause,' Danny said.

AQIS Spotswood Animal Quarantine Station and Jet Pets have a long history of working together as many quarantined animals are collected from the station and shipped interstate by the company.

Wayne Gundry, manager of Spotswood, said 'All the staff here at Spotswood have been eager to be able to help with the bushfire relief effort and this was a way that we got to help animals, that we are all passionate about.

'We are proud to have been able to team up with Jet Pets to deliver these crates in a time of such need.'

The cleaned and disinfected crates will be used by Animal Aid to house and transport injured wildlife and domestic pets who have been hurt in the bushfires.

Quarantine hits!

In Melbourne, a passenger disembarking from a Bangkok flight was surprised when detector dog Lucky responded to her handbag. AQIS officer Tara Middleton's thorough inspection revealed a Tiger/Lion claw and fur wrapped in tissue, destined to become jewellery. You must declare for inspection all food, plant material and animal products on arrival in Australia to ensure they are free of pests and diseases. When you declare these items they will be checked by an AQIS officer who will determine whether they are allowed into Australia. Some products may require treatment to make them safe. Other items may be restricted due to pest and disease risks and will be seized and destroyed by AQIS. The claw required treatment to make it safe.

In Adelaide, a container being unpacked at IKEA had staff on the hop as they reported several frogs in a consignment of furniture ex China. AQIS officers leapt to IKEA to supervise, only to find that all the frogs had croaked it.





Last reviewed: 17 Aug 2009
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