!!!February 22, 2024
Locally owned and independent
The Northern Rivers Times
RURAL NEWS 27
Ghost, a diligent biosecurity detector dog From cover page
his unwavering dedication to his duty
An international student
and the critical role he
faced a significant
plays in safeguarding
setback upon arrival at
Australia’s borders.
Adelaide Airport this week, as their visa was
Fast Facts:
abruptly cancelled, and
•
they were slapped with
2.5-year-old male
a hefty infringement
labrador who graduated
notice of $3,756. Their
his biosecurity detector
offense? Attempting to
dog training in
sneak in more than 2kg
November 2022.
of cooked meat, eggs,
•
and frangipani flowers
of the 11 detector
into Australia.
dogs currently in
The student’s illicit
operation that have
cargo was swiftly
been funded through
detected by the sharp
the government’s $11.7
senses of Ghost, a diligent biosecurity
Hutchison reiterated
detector dog teams in
the country in his first
biosecurity risk items,
that transparency is
safeguarding Australia’s
year alone. Funded
including over 19,000 at
through an $11.7 million
Adelaide Airport alone.
detector dog, who
Ghost is a
Ghost is one
million Detector Dog Capability Increase budget measure.
expertly sniffed out the
•
prohibited items at the
detector dogs that were
airport’s baggage claim
funded through the
area. Working alongside
budget measure will be
his handler, Rebecca,
delivered before the end
Ghost’s keen nose led to
of 2024.
the discovery of 2.7kg of
o
cooked meat, suspected
detector dog handlers
to be pork, along with
for the program have
301g of cooked egg,
been recruited.
and 6 fresh frangipani
o
flowers. None of these
handlers have finished
items had been declared
their training and been
All 20 additional
18 of the 20
Of those, 6
by the traveller on their
key, urging travellers
agricultural industries,
investment, Ghost is
Ghost’s exemplary
deployed and the other
Incoming Passenger
to truthfully declare
food supply chain,
one of 11 detector dogs
performance underscores
12 are undergoing or
Card.
all items to biosecurity
environment, and way
currently in operation,
the invaluable
about to commence
The severity of the
their training.
situation escalated
•
when the passenger
of deployment, Ghost
was referred to the
intercepted 194 travellers
Australian Border
and mail articles entering
Force, which upheld
Australia, totalling 381
the recommendation of
biosecurity risk items
biosecurity officers to
seized. This includes:
cancel the student’s visa.
o
Deputy Secretary
products
of Biosecurity and
o
104 fruit products
In his first year
111 animal
Compliance, Tina
officers upon arrival.
of life.
with plans for 20
contribution of detector
o
62 plant products
Hutchison, emphasized
Hutchison reassured
Ghost, a 2.5-year-old
additional dogs to be
dogs in preserving
o
38 vegetable
the importance of
travellers that honesty
male Labrador, is
deployed by the end of
Australia’s biosecurity.
products
travellers adhering to
during declaration would
a testament to the
2024.
Ghost’s remarkable
o
biosecurity regulations
not result in penalties
success of Australia’s
In 2023, biosecurity
achievements include
•
by declaring all food,
under the Biosecurity
detector dog program,
officers across
intercepting various
of items Ghost has
animals, plants, and
Act 2015, highlighting
having stopped nearly
Australia’s international
prohibited items such
intercepted include
seeds on their Incoming
the vital role of frontline
400 biosecurity risk
airports intercepted
as sausages, guava, and
sausages, guava and pork
Passenger Card.
biosecurity officers and
items from entering
nearly 400,000
pork floss, demonstrating
floss.
66 other products Some examples