A passenger arriving back in Australia from Bali must shell out $2664 after Darwin’s new biosecurity detector dog Zinta discovered an undeclared hamburger in his backpack.
Zinta alerted his handler to the backpack and further inspection revealed a variety of risk items including two egg-and- beef-sausage McMuffins from McDonalds in Bali – plus a ham croissant.
The seized meat products will be tested for foot and mouth disease (FMD) before they are destroyed.
Detector Dog Zinta with handler in Darwin
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said Zinta sniffed out the significant biosecurity breach last week and the returning passenger has been issued with a $2664 infringement notice.
“This will be the most expensive Maccas meal this passenger ever has; this fine is twice the cost of an airfare to Bali, but I have no sympathy for people who choose to disobey Australia’s strict biosecurity measures, and recent detections show you will be caught,” Watt said.
“Australia is FMD-free, and we want it to stay that way.
“Zinta was placed at Darwin Airport as part of the Albanese Government’s tough new biosecurity defences, and it’s excellent to see she is already contributing to keeping the country safe.
“Biosecurity is no joke – it helps protect jobs, our farms, food and supports the economy. Passengers who choose to travel need to make sure they are fulfilling the conditions to enter Australia, by following all biosecurity measures.”
The passenger was issued a 12-unit infringement notice for failing to declare potential high biosecurity risk items and providing a false and misleading document.
Last month the Albanese Government announced a new $14 million biosecurity package to deliver more frontline defences in mail centres and airports. The government has also rolled out biosecurity dogs at Darwin and Cairns airports, sanitation foot mats at all international airports, along with support on the ground for Indonesia and neighbouring countries.
Any arrival of FMD in Australia would potentially devastate the Australian livestock industry. A large multi-state foot and mouth disease outbreak would have an estimated direct economic impact of around $80 billion, taken over 10 years.
If FMD arrived from Indonesia, it would terminate all leisure travel between Australia and Bali for the foreseeable future – a major blow to the travel industry. Indonesia is reporting zero cases of FMD on Bali but experts warn the island is by no means free of it. Australia is taking no chances.
Edited by Peter Needham
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