Risks rising at entry points
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor has criticised Auckland Airport and NZ Post for their ‘‘antiquated systems’’ which he says pose a risk to biosecurity.
Staff at both centres have been increasingly under pressure in recent years as they try to cope with higher volumes of passengers and parcels.
About 5.5 million people arrive every year, while more and more parcels and sea containers come into the country.
A warming climate makes it more difficult to eradicate pests once they arrive in New Zealand.
Ministry for Primary Industries figures show interceptions at Auckland Airport rose from
4502 in 2014 to 6870 in 2018, while NZ Post saw a jump from 5325 to
11,211 over the same period.
In the case of Auckland Airport, the passengers MPI intercepted were mostly carrying fresh produce (6175 out of the 6870 last year). NZ Post interceptions were mainly seeds and grains
(8545 out of the 11,211).
The illegal import of pests such as the pea weevil has caused havoc in areas such as Wairarapa, where pea growing was stopped in 2016 and has had to be delayed for another year until Biosecurity NZ is certain the weevil has been eradicated.
O’Connor said Auckland Airport had ‘‘hardly spent a cent’’ in the arrival area of the airport for years, while it had invested hundreds of millions in other buildings and every part of the airport.
‘‘Biosecurity is our number one issue. They need a larger area which is more suited to the volume of traffic that we are trying Above: Auckland Airport says it is planning to build a larger space to house Ministry for Primary Industries staff and dogs. Below: Travellers are encouraged to declare items such as these dried frogs from Bangkok.
to deal with. We need an area that is both better for passengers and the people working there.’’
The general manager of Auckland Airport operations, Anna Cassels-Brown, said the organisation was committed to playing its part to prevent the introduction of biosecurity threats.
‘‘One of Auckland Airport’s important roles is to provide the space for MPI to carry out its work here. We work closely with MPI to ensure biosecurity at the border is robust and reliable.
‘‘Auckland Airport is also building for the future, and one of our eight anchor projects over the next four years is a new international arrivals area which includes a 10,000 square metre MPI facility,’’ Cassels-Brown said. Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor
O’Connor also took aim at NZ Post’s facilities, which he said were not adequate for the volume of post coming in. NZ Post runs the primary operation for packages entering the country.
NZ Post did not comment on the criticisms.
Earlier this year MPI conducted a review of its systems.
Among its recommendations were: new scanning technologies; separating arriving passengers carrying commercial quantities of food from other international travellers; charging cruise ship operators for costs relating to biosecurity services.
MPI northern regional commander Steve Gilbert said that besides increases in passengers and imported goods, the rising number of interceptions was due to public awareness following moves to encourage air passengers to declare potential risk items.
The deployment of extra officers had also resulted in more interceptions.
Most airlines now screen an in-flight video warning passengers about biosecurity.
It has been translated into 12 different languages, including Hindi, Malay, Arabic, Korean, French and Bilsama, a national language in Vanuatu spoken by many seasonal workers.
Auckland Airport had ‘‘hardly spent a cent’’ in the arrival area of the airport for years ...