MPI ramps up biosecurity for air passengers

New biosecurity measures will be introduced by the Ministry for Primary Industries to make it tougher for air passengers to bring goods into New Zealand that could carry pests or diseases. The measures are the result of new biosecurity funding from the government’s 2015 budget.

The planned new biosecurity measures include:

• Introducing 20 new biosecurity detector dog teams.
• Introducing five new x-ray machines.
• Trialling a mobile x-ray machine that can shift to different sites.
• Greater ability to increase the level of biosecurity intervention for air passengers according to risk.
• Introducing specific communications to target passengers more likely to carry Queensland fruit fly host materials.

Click here for more details on MPI’s website.