Bird Flu: Keep Distance, Wash Hands, Report It
OPINION: It's a tough pill to swallow that bird flu (avian influenza) has finally arrived in New Zealand. This is a moment many of us have hoped would never come.
Expected to be in in time for the busy summer season, the new measures are the result of new biosecurity funding from the government’s 2015 budget.
They include the introduction of 20 more biosecurity detector dog teams, more x-raying of baggage and more targeting of passengers likely to be carrying risk goods.
One of the plans is to use detector dogs to screen international passengers much earlier in the arrival process, says Steve Gilbert, MPI border clearance services director.
“We’re keen to have dogs as close as possible to where passengers leave the aircraft. This approach will provide more opportunity to detect risk goods, particularly within hand-held baggage, where passengers often carry fruit and other food.”
Rising international passenger numbers is one of the reasons behind the new measures, he says.
“Passenger arrivals are climbing 3.5% each year and continuing to grow. This growth is increasing the biosecurity risk to New Zealand.
“Another reason is the heightened threat posed by Queensland fruit fly host material arriving in New Zealand. There has been an increase in fruit fly populations in Australia and the fly has been spreading into previously pest-free areas.”
Gilbert says MPI recently recruited 42 new trainee quarantine officers and 24 trainee dog handlers to ensure it has sufficient biosecurity staff to introduce the new measures.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has also welcomed the new measures.
“Biosecurity is my number one priority as Minister and these moves show how seriously we are taking this issue,” he says.
“This will provide a stronger presence at the border to deal with growing passenger numbers and help prevent pests and diseases entering New Zealand.”
“The Government has also decided to bring in a committed passenger border levy as a fairer way to fund these services. It also means that foreign travellers who make up around 55% of passenger numbers will be directly contributing,” says Guy.
The planned new biosecurity measures include:
20 new biosecurity detector dog teams
Five new x-ray machines
A mobile x-ray machine that can shifted to different sites
Increase in the level of biosecurity intervention for air passengers according to risk
Specific communications to target passengers more likely to carry Queensland fruit fly host materials
