The Tasmanian Government continues to bolster our biosecurity measures to further protect our State from Foot and Mouth Disease, including installing foot sanitation mats at all domestic air and sea ports.
The new sanitation mats will be used by travellers returning from Indonesia to provide another layer of protection and reduce the chance of biosecurity risk material entering the state on footwear.
The mats are simple, safe and nonintrusive, with the entire process, including the interaction with our Biosecurity Officers, taking only a few moments.
This additional layer of defence complements the screening already in place at first port of arrivals for international travellers on the mainland.
I urge every traveller to follow biosecurity instructions and work with our border staff to keep Tasmania safe.
Foot and Mouth Disease can live for long periods on clothing, shoes and equipment, so it is important travellers clean these items thoroughly before returning home to Australia, especially if they have visited farms or rural areas of Indonesia.
Travellers coming into Australia and Tasmania from Indonesia must not carry any animal, meat or dairy products.
Our Government continues to take proactive action to further protect Tasmania’s world-class agricultural industry, including announcing additional Biosecurity Officers as part of a pilot program last month.
These officers have already interacted with hundreds of travellers at our ports of entry and, pleasingly, there are now 10 FTEs operating as part of this initiative.
We are also upgrading X-ray technology at the State’s mail processing centres and have increased signage at departure and arrival points.
Biosecurity Officers have also been undertaking cleaning and decontamination of footwear where it has been deemed necessary and providing reports to the Australian Government to inform their protections at the international border.
The Tasmanian Government is also working closely with industry, with $350,000 recently announced for the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association to continue enhancing biosecurity engagement and promote good on-farm biosecurity practices.
It is important that you remind interstate and overseas family and friends that there are certain things that cannot be sent to, or imported into, Tasmania, for more information go to www.nre.tas.gov.au/travellersguide
More Media Releases from Jo Palmer
More Media Releases from the Minister for Primary Industries and Water