In Australia, DPIRD is leading frontline defense against unwanted pests, diseases and weeds

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPRID) is continuing to lead the State’s frontline defence against unwanted pests, diseases and weeds, intercepting more than 24,000kg of risk material in the past 12 months. Western Australia is free from many pests and diseases found elsewhere in the world and in other parts of Australia, which helps protect our agricultural industries and provides access to high value export markets. It is important that travellers to WA know what they can and can’t bring in with them to continue to maintain the State’s enviable biosecurity status. In the 2020-21 financial year, DPIRD’s Quarantine WA officers inspected more than 84,000 vehicles coming through the road checkpoints at Kununurra and Eucla and met nearly 600,000 airline passengers arriving into the State. Some of the more interesting intercepts include 20kg of pine cones in a vehicle at the WA/SA checkpoint, 40 plants in a vehicle at the WA/NT checkpoint and a large ...