Lunar New Year and biosecurity (Cantonese version)

Tina: Hi，各位,我係Tina，我喺澳洲生物安全部工作。以下落嚟我哋將會傾吓有關農曆新年及生物安全。農曆新年係一個重要嘅節日，世界上好多家庭都會慶祝，當然包括澳洲嘅家庭。慶祝期間會有好多禮物郵寄或攜帶入澳洲，但係有啲農曆新年禮物未必准許入境澳洲，因為可能有生物安全風險。喺呢個podcast你可以知道有啲產品係未必能入境澳洲嘅同埋你點樣可以知得更多有關生物安全。今日我多謝我個同事Michael同我一齊。

Michael,你現時駐守悉尼國際郵件中心，可唔可以請你講一啲有關你喺中心嘅工作？

Michael答：我係Michael, 現時駐守悉尼國際郵件中心。 我嘅工作主要係對所有國際郵件喺清關之前做生物安全檢驗。檢驗嘅方法好多，最主要有X光檢驗，人手檢驗，甚至動用受過特別訓練嘅檢疫狗來檢驗。我哋嘅工作主要係保護澳洲獨特嘅生物環境，免受來自海外嘅生物疾病同埋害蟲入侵，從而保护澳洲嘅自然生態，生活環境，澳洲旅遊業同農業。

Why do people traveling or sending mail to Australia need to be aware of our Biosecurity conditions? Why is Biosecurity important for Australia?

Tina問：點解旅客喺入境澳洲之前或者郵寄包裹往澳洲時要特別注意澳洲嘅生物安全檢疫要求，生物安全對澳洲來講點解咁重要呢？

Michael 答：Tina，呢啲問題好重要。現時世界其他國家存在嘅好多病蟲害，例如禽流感、口蹄疫、非洲豬瘟等等喺澳洲都唔存在。我哋要維持呢種獨特的現狀。若果呢啲病蟲害被引入澳洲嘅話，將會對澳洲嘅旅遊業、農業同生活環境帶來嚴重嘅衝擊。為咗保護澳洲獨特嘅自然生態環境，澳洲政府制定並實行非常嚴厲嘅生物安全保護法例。來自海外嘅動物植物產品和食品喺清關之前都必須接受生物安全風險評估同檢查，以確保呢類物品喺進入澳洲時符合要求。任何不符合要求嘅物品將會被拒絕入境。

大家因此喺度可以睇到生物安全事關我哋每一個人，對澳洲來講係幾咁重要。

Are there particular items that might be sent or brought here for Lunar New Year that might not be permitted?

Tina問：農曆新年時通常接觸到嘅物品有邊種係不可以攜帶入澳洲境內？

Michael 答：喺農曆新年期間旅客攜帶或者寄往澳洲嘅物品主要有:

臘肉、臘腸等肉類食品

同新鮮蔬菜水果等等。

Why are these items not permitted?

Tina問：點解呢啲物品唔可以帶入？

Michael 答：若果未經過特別處理嘅話，呢類產品好可能會引入澳洲現時不存在嘅病蟲害。根據目前生物安全法例，呢類產品都喺被禁止入境㗎。

What happens when these items arrive in Australia through the mail? are they disposed of or send back?

Tina問：呢啲產品通過郵局到達澳洲時，我哋將會點樣處理呢？係銷毁或者退回來源地呢？

Michael 答：點樣處理主要係睇生物安全風險程度而定。處理嘅方式有直接銷毁，或者退回來源地。若果可以處理嘅話，我哋會要求呢啲物品經過處理後才可以放行。處理嘅費用由收件人負擔。

If someone brings biosecurity risk items in through the airport, can they be penalized?

Tina問：若果含有生物安全風險嘅物品從機場帶入嘅話我哋又會點處理呢？旅客會唔會被處分呢？

Michael 答：若果旅客未有誠實申報或者故意隱瞞，一旦查出，視乎違例嚴重程度，旅客可能被當場罰款，罰款最高可達2664澳元，嚴重嘅話會被當場取消簽證並且遣返出境。若果係澳洲公民嘅話，旅客可被刑事司法檢控。一經定罪，最高罰款可達一佰一拾萬澳元和10年監禁。

What are the benefits for people if they follow Biosecurity conditions?

Tina問：若果入境或郵寄物品時遵守生物安全法例嘅要求，將會有啲乜嘢好處呢？

Michael 答：若果旅客誠實申報或者只係寄不含有生物風險物品嘅話，可以避免被罰款，避免簽證被吊銷或者避免被司法檢控。你將會可以順利通關或者好快收到你嘅郵件。

What should people do to ensure they follow our conditions and will receive their gifts?

Tina問：點樣做先至可以確保收到郵寄禮品同遵守澳洲嘅生物安全法例呢？

Michael 答：最緊要係做好以下幾點：

第一，一定要喺《入境旅客申報卡》或者《郵寄物品申報單》上誠實申報你攜帶或郵寄嘅物品。若果你對入境卡啲問題唔係好清楚，咁就最好填’有‘或’是’；

第二，將你要申報嘅食品放喺同埋一個袋，以方便檢疫官員進行檢查；

第三，最重要嘅係喺出發之前或者郵寄包裹之前，上我哋部門嘅網址，‘’awe.gov.au/bicon”搜索。Bicon逐個字母拼寫係B I C O N, 係英文biosecurity import condition嘅簡稱，中文意思係-”生物安全入境條件”。跟住打入你需要攜帶或郵寄嘅物品名稱，即可以查到入境要求嘅條件。

又可以致電 1800-900–090查詢。

Is there anything else you would like to tell people about biosecurity?

Tina問：最後關於澳洲生物法例要求，你仲有啲乜嘢想同各位聽眾講吓呢？

Michael 答：最後我想講吓，其實旅客探訪親友時要攜帶嘅手信或者要寄嘅物品喺澳洲都可以買到。喺澳洲買到嘅入口動、植物產品，正常情況之下，都已經過生物安全風險評估或者已經過生物安全處理。

Tina：

多謝你，Michael，多謝各位收聽呢個podcast。請喺農曆新年期間多啲留意生物安全，各位若果想知道更多，我哋嘅網址係 biosecurity.gov.au.

我哋喺度祝福各位有一個愉快嘅農曆新年。多謝。

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更新：自從錄製本播客後，不申報生物安全風險物品的罰款額已經提高。查看最新資訊，請瀏覽Travelling to Australia 網頁。

Download the transcript - Cantonese version DOCX [32 KB]

English Version (Translation) of Biosecurity Awareness Podcast for Chinese Lunar New Year 2022

Introduction by Tina:

Hi, everyone, I am Tina. I work for the Biosecurity Division of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment of the Australian Government. We will talk about biosecurity matters and the Chinese Lunar New Year in the following conversation. Being a major festival as it is, the Chinese Lunar New Year here is celebrated by many Chinese-speaking people just like elsewhere around the world. During this festival season large volume of gifts will be brought into Australia via the airport or through the postal channel. But not all gift items are permitted into Australia due to biosecurity risk concerns. In this podcast you will learn some types of gift items that may be prohibited from entering Australia as well as where to get more information on Australian biosecurity matters. Joining me today is my colleague Michael in this podcast.

Thank you, Michael, for being with us. You are based in the International Mail Centre Sydney Gateway Facility. Can you please tell us a bit more about your biosecurity work at the Centre?

Michael:

Hello everyone. I am Michael. I’m based in the International Mail Centre, Sydney. My work is to perform biosecurity risk assessments and inspections of parcels before they are released into Australian communities. Among the many methods we employ to perform our job are Xray screening, physical inspection by officers and sniffing by specially trained biosecurity detector dogs. The primary purpose of our job is to protect the unique environment of Australia from the invasion of exotic pests and diseases, our living environment, tourism as well as agricultural industries.

Tina:

Why do people traveling or sending mails to Australia need to be particularly aware of our Biosecurity conditions? Why is Biosecurity important for Australia?

Michael:

This is a very important question. Many pests and diseases such as Avian Bird Flu, Foot and Mouth Disease, African Swine Fever that exist today in other parts of the world do not exist in Australia, and we want to keep it that way. If these pests and diseases are introduced into Australia, Australian tourism and agriculture industries, as well as our living environment will be seriously impacted. In order to protect the unique natural environment of Australia, the Australian government has enacted and implemented very strict Biosecurity laws and regulations. All animal and or plant-derived materials and food items from overseas must undergo biosecurity risk assessments and inspections before entry into Australia. Any materials failing to meet biosecurity conditions will be refused entry into Australia. Biosecurity affects everyone of us. Therefore it is very important for Australia.

Tina:

Are there any particular prohibited items posted to or brought in here for Lunar New Year celebration?

Michael:

Yes. Some of the popular products that people bring in or post to Australia during the lunar new year festival include preserved pork, sausages, other meat products, fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.

Tina:

Why are these items not permitted?

Michael:

Because they are likely to introduce pests and diseases that do not exist today in Australia if they have not been specially treated. According to current Biosecurity Law and regulations, they are prohibited from entering into Australia.

Tina:

What happens when these items arrive in Australia through the mail? are they disposed of or send back?

Michael:

How to treat these products depend on the biosecurity risks and the levels of risks they are associated with. It may be immediate destruction on site, or return to the country of origin. If they can be treated, we will offer treatments. After treatments the goods may be released. The costs of treatment will be borne by the consignee.

Tina:

If someone brings in biosecurity risk items through the airport, can they be penalized?

Michael:

Once it is established that incoming passengers have not honestly declared in the Incoming Passenger cards and or knowingly or wilfully conceal biosecurity risk items, they may be fined up to $2,664 on the spot, depending on the levels of breaches. In some serious cases, offenders’ visas may be cancelled and they may be deported out of Australia. If they are Australian citizens, offenders may be subject to criminal judicial proceedings. Once being proven guilty, they may end up being fined up to $1,100,000 and or jailed for 10 years of imprisonment.

Tina:

What are the benefits for people if they follow Biosecurity conditions?

Michael:

If incoming passengers make honest declarations or only bring in items that are without biosecurity risks, they may avoid the risks of being fined, or being subject to judicial proceedings, or avoid getting their visas being cancelled. They may clear custom smoothly or receive their luggage or parcels quickly.

Tina:

What should people do to ensure they follow our conditions and receive their gifts?

Michael:

The following are critically important: Firstly, one must honestly declare on the Incoming Passenger Card or the Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note what are brought in or posted to Australia. If you are not sure about the questions on the Incoming Passenger Card, it’s better to tick ‘Yes’. Secondly, please put all the food items into one bag. This will help facilitate biosecurity inspection.Thirdly and most importantly, before going to the airport or post office, please go to our websitewww.awe.gov.au/biconand type in the names of items that you want to bring in or post. It will tell you the import requirements for the items you want to bring in or post. Bicon is an acronym for biosecurity import conditions.Alternatively, you may call 1800-900-090.

Tina:

Is there anything else you would like to tell people about biosecurity?

Michael:

Finally I would like to point out most of the gift items brought in or posted to Australia are available in the shops in Australia. Under normal circumstances imported animal or plant products available for sale in Australia have already gone through biosecurity risk assessments and or treatments.

Tina:

Thank you, Michael. And thank you, everyone for listening to this podcast. Please keep yourself more aware of biosecurity matters during this Lunar New Year festival season. For more information, please go on our website www.biosecurity.gov.au

We wish everyone of you a Happy Lunar New Year.

Thank you again and good-bye.

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UPDATE: Since recording this podcast penalty amounts for not declaring biosecurity risk items have increased. Check our Travelling to Australia webpage for the latest information.