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Past Winners of the National Quarantine Award
2006 - Alcan Australia
2005 - TNT Freight Management
2004 - The 51st Far North Queensland Regiment (51 FNQR)
2003 - Hunter Grain and Findlay Bulk Services
2002 - The Newcastle Regional Museum
2001 - Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre
2000 - ADF Quarantine Cleaning Manual
1999 - Mr Bob McKay
1998 - Stephen J. Morris
2007 National Quarantine Award Winner
In late 2006, AQIS sought assistance from eBay to prevent high-risk quarantine material, purchased through eBay, being imported contrary to Australia’s quarantine requirements.
AQIS inquiries identified a range of items offered for sale by overseas sellers that were either prohibited entry into Australia, or required treatment to address quarantine concerns prior to entry being allowed. Understandably, purchasers were disappointed when they were required to make additional payments for the treatment of their goods, or their goods were destroyed.
eBay has now completed the establishment phase in relation to the installation and activation of a variety of warning screens. AQIS messages now appear when a potential buyer who is located in Australia attempts to bid on or purchase an item outside of Australia that is listed on the eBay website.
In addition eBay will be working with AQIS in the area of commodity targeting on festival, religious and cultural related issues that occur during specific times of the year.
eBay is also working towards some additional initiatives:
- Providing AQIS quarantine warnings in the native language of the target country as a screenshot to highlight Australia's requirements.
- Making a global AQIS quarantine message for all eBay host countries (various languages) - this was an issue that would be a major challenge for eBay IT staff (and once completed will be a world first).
AQIS will also be providing information on seizure items back to eBay to finetune the target filters. This will be an ongoing process delivered on a six monthly basis.
The Torres Strait Islanders Media Association (TSIMA)
The Torres Strait Islanders Media Association (TSIMA) is a community radio station located on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. TSIMA first started broadcasting for 2-3 hours a day in 1985. Radio was the best, and in some places the only means, of disseminating information to Torres Strait residents at that time. In 1997, TSIMA expanded its broadcast hours from 8am to 4pm. TSIMA also broadcasts in traditional languages of the Torres Strait. Currently, all the Torres Strait, Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) and Western province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) receive the broadcast.
AQIS first began conducting radio presentations with TSIMA in 1986. The title of the presentation was “This is what our work is all about”, or “Ableglam pe meriba dorige ike” in the Meriam Mer language. Since then AQIS has introduced a weekly segment on the radio station’s program list starting at 11am and running for approx 15-20 minutes. Several AQIS officers from both the Torres Strait and NPA (at the tip of Cape York) participate in these broadcasts.
The weekly quarantine broadcast is now the longest running regular segment on TSIMA radio and this valuable media airtime is free.
A weekly radio segment on TSIMA reinforces the quarantine concept in a culturally relevant way and fosters a behaviour of reporting unusual pests and diseases, or sickness in animals or plants.
TSIMA played a significant role in educating residents about the importance of newly formed quarantine zones and requirements as a result of the Torres Strait Treaty between Australia and PNG being ratified in 1985. The establishment of these zones meant that traditional fruit and vegetables could not be moved south from the outer Torres Strait Islands to the inner Torres Strait Islands and to mainland Australia. As a result of these broadcasts there was greater co-operation and compliance with these quarantine requirements.
2006 National Quarantine Award Winner
Alcan Australia
Alcan Australia won the National Quarantine Award for its support of our quarantine integrity while developing its Gove G3 alumina refinery. The $2 billion dollar expansion is one of the largest investments ever seen in the Northern Territory, and will increase production at Gove to 3.8 million tonnes of alumina a year.
Alcan’s bauxite mine and alumina refinery is located at Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula in East Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory (about 800 kilometres northeast of Darwin). Alcan Gove employs around 1,100 employees and contractors in the on site. It is the largest employer in the Nhulunbuy area. Overall, there are currently around 5,000 people employed on the project in Gove, Brisbane, Darwin, Thailand and Vietnam.
The expansion project began in September 2004, and to date more than 400 pre-assembled modules (PAMs) have arrived in Gove from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, including two massive alumina Calciners each weighing 1,800 tonnes. The Calciners are the largest PAMs to be built off-site for a project in the Southern Hemisphere.
At considerable expense, Alcan engineered a special wash-down facility, in consultation with AQIS, for these large PAMs, which are up to four storeys high and weighing more than 2,000 tonnes. They have also worked with AQIS to educate 5,000 employees in Gove, Brisbane, Darwin, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia to minimise the possibility of quarantine risk material entering Australia. Alcan also facilitated offshore quarantine clearance for hundreds of thousands of tonnes of heavy equipment, and introduced special quarantine audits at all building sites.
Alcan’s vigilance, its cooperation with AQIS and its commitment to maintaining Australia’s quarantine integrity makes it an outstanding recipient of the 2006 National Quarantine Award.
2005 National Quarantine Award Winner
TNT Freight Management
TNT Freight Management is a freight forwarding and logistics company that distributes imported cargo throughout South Australia. Their major role is to receive, assemble, warehouse, and distribute automotive parts for General Motors Holden.
TNT is a registered Quarantine Approved Premise. They have a team of dedicated and diligent staff who are trained to keep a lookout for quarantine risks and know the procedures for reporting incursions.
In June 2005, whilst unpacking crates from France, TNT employee Barry DuToit found a four-centimetre-long wasp. Barry, who had recently received training in Quarantine Pest Awareness, immediately trapped the unwanted creature and alerted TNT State Manager Greg Kemp, who contacted AQIS.
The specimen was identified as a Xeris, an exotic wood-boring wasp that could devastate Australia’s pine plantations and native forests. Spraying of the goods and premises killed more wasps and two further exotic wasp species were discovered. AQIS ordered the entire shipment of 1200 timber crates to be placed beneath tarpaulins and fumigated to make sure all insects and larvae were eradicated.
With assistance from TNT, all goods on the premise were fumigated and the entire warehouse underwent a knock down treatment. The staff also assisted in making arrangements for the treatment of cargo delivered from the premises – a particularly difficult task as they often provide “just in time” delivery for General Motors Holden. AQIS also set up insect traps on the TNT site and within 500 metres of the warehouse. Fortunately, no further exotic insects were found.
The early detection plus the co-operation from TNT staff enabled AQIS to instigate immediate treatment. TNT assisted AQIS, disregarding inconvenience to their own operation, at every stage of the process from initial detection and subsequent support to ensure fumigation treatments were properly undertaken.
TNT Freight Management were awarded the National Quarantine Award for their contribution to the protection of Australia’s agricultural industries and unique environment.
2004 National Quarantine Award Winner
The 51st Far North Queensland Regiment (51 FNQR)
The 51st Far North Queensland Regiment (51 FNQR) has won the prestigious National Quarantine Award for its work to support quarantine operations in vast and remote tracts of northern Australia.
The Cairns-based 51st supports the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) by reporting quarantine threats as a part of its surveillance activities, by providing transport and logistical support for AQIS officers conducting survey activities in remote areas, and by delivering remote area training in trauma first aid, bush survival and four-wheel-drive techniques for Quarantine officers.
51 FNQR’s area of responsibility covers some 640,000 square kilometres from Cardwell north to the Torres Strait, including Cape York and the Gulf country and west to the Northern Territory border.
The regiment is one of the Australian Defence Force’s three Regional Force Surveillance Units tasked with responsibility for reconnaissance and surveillance across far northern Australia.
Murray Rogers, Chair of the independent Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council (QEAC), which advises AQIS and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister on quarantine, presented the award in Melbourne.
“51 FNQR has displayed significant, long-term commitment and understanding of quarantine issues in Australia’s Far North, making it this year’s strongest award nomination,” Murray said.
“The regiment’s work has always been above and beyond the call of quarantine duty. It provides important and continuous surveillance in the region’s most high risk and remote locations, as well as logistical support to AQIS’s Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS) through its companies at Thursday Island, Weipa and Cairns.
“51 FNQR is our eyes and ears in the north, reporting sightings of dead animals and unusual plants or pests while on patrol in remote locations and keeping an eye on suspicious items that might have washed up on our beaches,” Murray said.
Four AQIS officers are currently members of 51 FNQR, including NAQS Veterinary Manager Dr Jonathan Lee, who was recently promoted to the rank of Captain.
2003 National Quarantine Award Winner
Hunter Grain and Findlay Bulk Services
Hunter Grain and Findlay Bulk Services were involved with the transport and handling of imported grain shipments arriving in Newcastle from November 2002 to September 2003.
Hunter Grain is the industry co-ordinator behind a logistics chain including ship agents, stevedores, bulk handlers, storage, transport and processing operators. It established a system specifically designed and resourced to meet strict regulated grain import conditions.
Findlay Bulk Services is responsible for road movement of imported grain to metropolitan processing plants. It equipped vehicles with satellite tracking equipment and provided AQIS with a sophisticated and highly interactive control system able to pinpoint imported grain consignments to within 100 metres at any time.
The companies, by using their experiences from the drought of 1994-96, developed a transport logistics system specifi cally designed to meet grain import conditions regulated under extremely strict quarantine protocols. The high-grade systems put in place by both these companies have enabled quarantine protocols to be continually tested and improved through rigorous testing arrangements.
The commitment and professionalism by both companies, often under difficult operating conditions, clearly show that grain imports having a quarantine risk can be safely imported into Australia when industry and AQIS work closely together.
The resources, equipment and planning these companies have contributed to the safe handling of imported grain have exceeded the strict requirements set down by AQIS’s Imported Grains Operational Response (IGOR).
Members of the National Quarantine Award panel were unanimous in their decision that these companies should be joint winners.
Hunter Grain and Findlay Bulk Services have gone to great lengths not only to promote the quarantine message, but also to show in a practical way how this can be achieved in a very competitive industry. They are worthy joint winners of the National Quarantine Award for 2003.
2002 National Quarantine Award Winner
The Newcastle Regional Museum
The Newcastle Regional Museum took out the Quarantine and Exports Advisory Committee’s National Quarantine Award for 2002, for its work in teaching more than 2600 Hunter region school students why quarantine is important to Australia.
Over the past four years, the Museum has hosted an annual Quarantine Open Day in conjunction with AQIS featuring demonstrations by quarantine detector dogs, a display of weird and wonderful seized items and the chance for students to inspect a shipping container, sift grain for insects and set a mosquito trap. The Museum has also provided facilities and staff for the events and promoted the Open Days to schools.
One of the reasons for the ongoing success of the event has been its relevance to the Hunter region. Students learn that quarantine is integral to the two-way movement of ships and cargo through the busy port of Newcastle and protecting Australia's agriculture export industries from exotic pests and diseases.
2001 National Quarantine Award Winner
Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre
Window on the Wetlands is an international tourist facility managed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory. The visitor centre is situated at the gateway to Kakadu National Park, a designated World Heritage site.
Between May 2000 to May 2001, 100 000 visitors were introduced to the quarantine message at Window on the Wetlands. Through personalised information and interactions local, interstate and international visitors have taken home an understanding of quarantine issues and knowledge about how to reduce the risk of introducing damaging pests and diseases into Australia.
Quarantine awareness is provided by staff through their own initiative, and not as part of any organisational expectation. The result has been the spread of information to the local school, junior rangers, through the Parks and Wildlife community education unit, as well as visiting clients. They designed an educational facility that offers interactive activities such as quarantine officer detective games, colouring-in competitions and a hands-on discovery display. The centres positive influence on the local travel and tourism industry was also a factor in its success.
2000 National Quarantine Award Winner
ADF Quarantine Cleaning Manual
Produced by Australian Army Captain Kevin Hall - out of hours in his own time in East Timor - the 160-page procedures manual details the unglamorous business of cleaning army vehicles and equipment. It will help protect Australia from exotic pests and diseases that could arrive in military equipment, vehicles and material used in overseas aid programs, and imported agricultural machinery.
Captain Hall’s manual quickly became the procedural ‘bible’ for a huge cleanup operation in Dili, where Australian Defence Force personnel cleaned vehicles and equipment to remove any traces of pests or diseases before they returned to Australia.
The members of the national judging panel were unanimous in giving Kevin the major award. They praised his effort in compiling the manual in his own time as well beyond the call of duty, and in addition to what could be expected of him in relation to his quarantine responsibilities. The judges believed the manual marks a turning point in the way the Australian Defence Force deals with its quarantine responsibility, setting out procedures for routine cleaning of vehicles and equipment to quarantine standards. They also believed the real value of the manual lies in its long life: it can and will be used every time Australian troops return to Australia from serving overseas.
1999 National Quarantine Award Winner
Mr Bob McKay
Bob McKay forged the path for the re-location of the AQIS small vessel inspection facility from Brisbane to the Scarborough Marina at Redcliffe, where he provided world class amenities and facilities for international travellers including a designated four berth secured quarantine area and a mid-water anchoring area for small vessels carrying animals.
The integration of the quarantine berthing facility at no charge to AQIS or the Australian Customs Service provided a solution to what was rapidly becoming a critical operational situation for quarantine officers. In conjunction with Redcliffe City Council, Mr McKay implemented a local quarantine awareness campaign, enlisting a large number of local businesses to support initiatives such as production of tourist information kits, ‘starter packs’ handed out to yachts as they arrive at the quarantine berth to replace rations confiscated during the course of quarantine clearance and the creation of a website to provide information on quarantine clearance at Scarborough Marina.
Mr McKay has a genuine passion for the need to protect Australia and Australians from the ravages of pests and disease that other countries take for granted. As a keen yachtsman himself, he has seen at first hand the potential that itinerant yachts have to act as carriers of unwanted pests and diseases to other countries.
1998 National Quarantine Award Winner
Stephen J. Morris
As Executive Director of the Customs Brokers Council of Australia (CBCA), Stephen Morris always made effective understanding between AQIS and his members a priority. He consistently looked for opportunities for the broking community to help AQIS identify cargo of quarantine concern and to carry out essential inspection and treatment. With Stephen’s support and that of the CBCA, the AQIS Broker Accreditation scheme began operation in November 1997 and by 1998 had so far trained and accredited 1500 customs brokers to perform functions previously done by AQIS.
Stephen was instrumental in designing and implementing the scheme, the first major quality assurance for the Import Clearance program and an excellent model for future industry-development quality assurance arrangements for low risk quarantine functions.