International travellers are reminded not to pack any food, meat, fruit or other biosecurity risk items for their trip as Australian borders reopen to fully vaccinated travellers.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said that more than 21,000 biosecurity infringement notices had been issued at airports around Australia since 2016.
“Australia warmly welcomes all our international visitors and students back,” Minister Littleproud said.
“But it is vital to follow biosecurity rules for a smooth trip and to protect Australia from deadly pests or diseases that can impact on our environment, industries and way of life.
“As borders open and flights increase, we’re increasing our staff presence and detector dogs at airports.
“Already this year there were 62 infringement notices issued in January for failure to declare biosecurity risk material.
“I remind all international visitors to find out what they can bring into Australia and to keep in mind our strict biosecurity requirements.
“Meat is an African swine fever risk and if this disease hits our shores, it would be devastating for our pork industry.
“Khapra beetle is a major threat to Australia’s billion-dollar grain industry. So, bringing in wheat, rice and grain which host the pest is an absolute no-no.
“If you bring food, plant material or animal products, you must declare them or dispose of them in the bins located in the airport immediately after disembarking the aircraft.
“If you don’t, you may receive an infringement notice of up to $2664, your visa may be cancelled and you may be refused entry into Australia.
“Our biosecurity officers will check your incoming passenger declaration and may screen your bags with X-ray machines or detector dogs.”
“The message is clear – if you are not sure, declare.
To learn more about items that are a biosecurity risk and may not be permitted into Australia, visit awe.gov.au/travelling
To learn more about why biosecurity is important, check out the Australian biosecurity animation.
Fast Facts:
- Since 1 January 2021 biosecurity officers have been able to issue 6 or 12 penalty unit infringement notices when travellers fail to declare the following goods:
- Category 1 goods – 12 penalty units ($2,664) – live plants, whole unprocessed seeds, meat and meat products (except retorted meat), raw or partially raw prawns, live animals (and remains of animals that have died in transit), bird or reptile eggs for hatching, veterinary vaccines.
- Category 2 goods – 6 penalty units ($1,332) – fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, fresh fungi, fresh leaves, fresh herbs.
- Otherwise, the infringement notice amount is 2 penalty units ($444).
- More than 260kg of prohibited produce was confiscated from passengers arriving on a recent international flight to Sydney, including high-risk product such as dried seed, rice, wheat and cooked meat.
- 21,280 infringement notices in total have been issued by biosecurity officers at the airport since the commencement of the Biosecurity Act 2015 (between 16 June 2016 – 31 January 2022).
- Australian Border Force has cancelled 14 visas on biosecurity-related grounds since 1 October 2019. Ten of the decisions relate to failure to declare pork or pork products.
- From 1 January 2021, the biosecurity-related visa cancellation ground applies to holders of 18 visa subclasses, including visitors, international students and temporary work visa holders.
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