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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 636 asked in the Legislative Council on 12 June 2019 by Hon Colin De Grussa

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

QUARANTINE — TRAVELLERS

636. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:

I refer to an ABC Kimberley news article of 19 May 2019 that stated that Western Australia's $8 billion agriculture industry is at risk from travellers breaching quarantine regulations when entering WA.

(1) How many tonnes of contraband were seized or stopped at the WA border in 2018 and is this an increase or decrease on the previous two years?

(2) What education programs or additional investment will the state government introduce to reduce the amount of contraband being brought into Western Australia?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

I thank the member for the question. I will just say that I have been to the quarantine station on the Western Australia–Northern Territory border just outside Kununurra. I am very impressed with the work that is being done there and the thoroughness of the activities undertaken by our quarantine officers. With respect to the specifics, I advise the following.

(1) There were 50.8 tonnes of quarantine-risk material intercepted at interstate entry points during 2017–18. This was an increase from 2016–17, when 46.9 tonnes were intercepted, but a decrease from 2015–16, when 52 tonnes were intercepted.

(2) Ongoing educational material is provided at roadhouses prior to entry into Western Australia and also at the domestic airport. Commercial carriers are also required to provide announcements on quarantine requirements when entering the state. Articles also feature in travel magazines.