Australian Quarantine Review Secretariat Australian Quarantine a shared responsibility
COOPERATION WITH OVERSEAS AUTHORITIES
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- 6.4 PRECLEARANCE
- 6.5 OFFSHORE QUARANTINE AWARENESS
6.3 COOPERATION WITH OVERSEAS AUTHORITIESQuarantine Australia has a legitimate and fundamental need to liaise and cooperate closely with overseas quarantine authorities, particularly those of Australia's near neighbours and major trading partners. Such interaction should include continued close cooperation with the other 'quadrilateral' countries (Canada, New Zealand and the United States). Australia should continue to collaborate with relevant overseas quarantine authorities in training, including secondment of officers to other countries (and from other countries to Australia) in both policy and operational areas. Such exchanges offer specific training skills and a more general mutual benefit in terms of appreciating other countries' quarantine arrangements. Similarly, there are obvious advantages in having close collaboration with relevant overseas quarantine authorities in the areas of research, technology development and treatment measures. Recommendation 29: The Review Committee recommends that Quarantine Australia collaborate with overseas quarantine authorities in the areas of staff exchange and training, research, technology development, and treatment measures. 6.4 PRECLEARANCEPreclearance of passengers or goods in their country of origin is consistent with the principle of managing quarantine risks offshore (see Section 6.1). However, the Review Committee understands that preclearance is used for quarantine inspection of only a limited range of product intended for the Australian market — only summer fruit, avocados and kiwi fruit from New Zealand at present. The Review Committee notes that preclearance has the advantage that quarantine risks are dealt with offshore and any deficiencies can be corrected quickly in the country of origin. For example, since the introduction of the preclearance program in New Zealand, the number of rejections by Australian quarantine inspectors has decreased as a result of better understanding of Australia's quarantine requirements. However, the use of preclearance depends on the willingness of overseas industry and quarantine authorities to comply with Australia's requirements, and the confidence that Quarantine Australia has that its requirements can be met. Industry needs to take into account the cost of preclearing compared to the cost of inspection and possible treatment on arrival. The Review Committee considers that there is considerable opportunity to extend preclearance of goods. For example, Quarantine Australia could develop lists of approved overseas organisations to preclear items of low quarantine risk — with a quality assurance and audit process to de-list them for failing to perform adequately. Several submissions to the Review argued that using such an arrangement for products and suppliers of proven safety would enable quarantine staff to save resources that can be re-focused on high risk products and suppliers. Australian quarantine staff oversee all quarantine matters relating to the transport of personnel and equipment for Australian defence forces returning from overseas, and for forces travelling to Australia for exercises. For example, two quarantine officers spent nearly eight weeks with the Australian deployment in Rwanda overseeing the preparation of equipment for return to Australia. Defence authorities also occasionally ask for suitably cleared quarantine staff to travel overseas to preclear sensitive or classified equipment that can then be flown direct to a destination rather than enter through a regular port. The Review Committee supports the use of quarantine staff to preclear defence vessels and equipment overseas, thus significantly reducing the quarantine risk associated with such activity. Recommendation 30: The Review Committee recommends that Quarantine Australia negotiate with overseas quarantine agencies to continue development of arrangements for offshore preclearance of goods by appropriate export authorities and companies. 6.5 OFFSHORE QUARANTINE AWARENESSAustralia has experienced a rapid growth in visitor numbers over the past decade, and the rate of increase in the number of annual visitors is likely to continue to increase in the forseeable future. The range of countries from which these visitors come has also become increasingly diverse, with significant growth in visitors from Asia in particular. In addition, Australian residents are travelling more frequently and to a wider range of countries. Tourists and other visitors pose a potential source of introduction of exotic pests and diseases, particularly through the introduction of foods that have not been subjected to treatment or processing to inactivate pathogens or pests of concern. Plant material such as fruit or vegetables taken from home or village gardens where they can be exposed to pests and diseases probably poses the greatest potential risk for introduction via air or sea passengers visiting Australia. Some visitors may wish to carry specialty foods for relatives or friends in Australia, but most would refrain from this if they were aware of Australia's quarantine requirements. It is thus in Australia's interest to ensure that all visitors are provided with information on its quarantine requirements. Such information needs to be made available to visitors before they pack for their trip. Overseas travel authorities and travel agencies offer a potential means of providing such information to travellers before they depart, and Quarantine Australia should develop an active program to disseminate information on Australia's quarantine to these organisations so they can make their clients aware of these requirements. Similarly, such information should be provided to overseas trading authorities and companies so they can make it available to their staff (e.g. crews of ships and aircraft) and take account of Australia's quarantine requirements when preparing goods for shipment (e.g. requirements for dunnage and packaging). It should be feasible to concentrate on Asian airports that operate as the major hubs for flights to Australia from Europe and Asia. Appropriate information (in the language or languages of the country concerned) should be provided at check-in points of international terminals at hub airports to advise intending passengers of Australia's quarantine requirements. It might also be possible for quarantine staff (preferably locally engaged) to circulate with passengers in departure lounges to advise on Australia's quarantine requirements and encourage visitors or returning travellers to declare or offer up any prohibited items, whether in hand luggage or hold baggage. Information for visitors on Australia's quarantine requirements can also be provided with their visas or travel documents — through overseas travel agents, Austrade offices, or Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade offices. Recommendation 31: The Review Committee recommends that Quarantine Australia take a proactive role in selected countries to promote greater awareness of Australian quarantine requirements among their travel authorities, travel agencies and travelling citizens, and among their international trading authorities and companies. Information on Australia's quarantine requirements also needs to be more clearly presented to Australian residents before they travel overseas. This information should advise them to not to bring prohibited goods back to Australia and should be provided before departure at Australian ports or airports. For example, it could be provided at the immigration exit point (with the cooperation of customs staff, or if they are unable to assist, using staff especially dedicated for the purpose) or in the departure lounges (also using dedicated and appropriately trained quarantine staff). Recommendation 32: The Review Committee recommends that Quarantine Australia ensure that information on Australia's quarantine requirements is more clearly presented to Australian residents before they travel overseas. Directory: SiteCollectionDocuments SiteCollectionDocuments -> Emerging Transport Technologies SiteCollectionDocuments -> Lesson Plan What are smart goals? 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