July 17, 2006

Australian minister assuages discontent over quarantine procedures

Improving Australia's procedure for analysing import risks and maintaining an effective quarantine system are vital to Australia's well being, Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Peter McGauran said at an aquaculture forum.

Australia has a major competitive advantage in that it is free from many pests and diseases that usually afflicts aquaculture industries, McGauran said.

However, all trade and travel carries some risk of pests or diseases being brought in, he emphasised.  Since the two activities are inevitable, Australia must have the best possible system to manage those risks. The import risk analysis (IRA), which involves quarantine procedures is an important part of that approach, he said.

McGauran noted that the IRA process has been questioned extensively by suppliers.

Since two-thirds of the agricultural production is exported, quarantine safeguards are needed if Australia expects its trading partners to play by the same rules.

McGauran said his department is investigating ways to streamline IRA procedures while at the same time instilling confidence that they are strict and science-based.