The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service was the Australian government agency responsible for enforcing Australian
quarantine
A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...
laws, as part of the
Department of Agriculture.
Following a period operating under the name DAFF Biosecurity, it has since been absorbed into divisions in the
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Quarantine in Australia
AQIS's import and export inspection and certification is essential to maintaining Australia's highly favourable animal, plant and human health status and access to export markets. Quarantine controls at Australia's borders minimise the risk of exotic pests and diseases to protect Australia's agriculture industries and environment. AQIS does this by specialist Federal law enforcement officers known as Quarantine & Exports Inspectors, or 'Quarantine Officers'.
History
On 30 March 1908, the Commonwealth Quarantine service came into operation and took over quarantine stations in every Australian state, as allowed in section 2A of the
Quarantine Act 1908
The ''Quarantine Act 1908'' (Cth) was an Act of the Parliament of Australia which is no longer in effect. It was assented to on 30 March 1908. It was superseded by the ''Biosecurity Act 2015'' and repealed on 16 June 2016.
History
Australia i ...
. The
1956 Summer Olympics, held in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, were prevented by the quarantine regulations to host the
equestrian events; therefore they were held in
Stockholm, Sweden five months earlier.
Role of AQIS
AQIS was the agency responsible for animal, plant and human quarantine border controls, of passengers and cargo. AQIS officers used X-ray machines and sniffer dogs in airports, seaports and mail centres to search for quarantine risk material.
Along with
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) AQIS administered the Imported Food Programme, ensuring that food commercially imported into Australia meets Australia's Quarantine Standards and the
Food Standards Code.
AQIS also provided inspection and certification for a range of agricultural products exported from Australia, to ensure compliance with overseas countries importation requirements.
Biosecurity Australia
Biosecurity Australia was a prescribed agency within the Australian Government Department of Agriculture from August 2007 to September 2009. In September 2009, a division of DAFF known as Biosecurity Services Group took over their functions.
Biosecurity Australia provided policy advice to AQIS concerning the importation of quarantine risk material to Australia when requested by AQIS. Under the ''
Quarantine Act 1908
The ''Quarantine Act 1908'' (Cth) was an Act of the Parliament of Australia which is no longer in effect. It was assented to on 30 March 1908. It was superseded by the ''Biosecurity Act 2015'' and repealed on 16 June 2016.
History
Australia i ...
'', AQIS had responsibility for setting the rules concerning the imports, not Biosecurity Australia.
See also
*
Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service was an Australian federal government agency responsible for managing the security and integrity of the Australian border and facilitating the movement of legitimate international travelers and ...
*
Biosecurity in Australia
National biosecurity in Australia is governed and administered by two federal government departments, the Department of Health and thDepartment of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry The ''Biosecurity Act 2015'' (C'wealth) and related legislati ...
*
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
*
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Quarantine And Inspection Service
Defunct Commonwealth Government agencies of Australia
Agricultural organisations based in Australia
Food safety organizations
Biosecurity
Foreign trade of Australia
Regulatory authorities of Australia
Phytosanitary authorities