Bolstering Australia's biosecurity frontline in time for Christmas

The Albanese Labor Government continues to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity system, with six new detector dogs joining the frontline in time for this year’s peak international travel and parcel deliveries period. 

Australia’s detector dogs are one of the most effective tools on the biosecurity frontline, helping to safeguard our agriculture sector, unique environment and communities from pests and diseases.  

The new recruits join 53 other biosecurity detector dogs deployed across the country and will work alongside experienced handlers to screen travellers, luggage, cargo and mail across Australia’s international airports, seaports and mail centres. 

The dogs are trained to detect nine target odour groups comprising more than 200 biosecurity risk items, including meat, dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables, plants, seeds, eggs, and even exotic pests like the brown marmorated stink bug. 

Already this year, close to 40,000 high-risk items have been intercepted by detector dog teams, and coupled with the busy December period, it is expected last year’s total of 42,000 interceptions will be matched or surpassed. 

The cohort of six dogs - Nissa, Pixie, Unity, Villain, Yazzy, Yoseph - successfully completed 8 weeks of intensive training at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Detector Dog Training Centre in Brisbane. 

They join the 20 extra detector dogs added to our biosecurity system by the Albanese Labor Government since 2022, as part of over $2 billion in additional biosecurity resourcing. 

For more information on Australia’s biosecurity detector dogs, visit: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/policy/australia/detector-dogs 

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP: 

“As we enter the busiest time of the year for international travel and parcel deliveries, there is no better time to boost the capability of our biosecurity frontline and to welcome these additional detector dogs. 

“Australia’s biosecurity detector dogs are a vital part of our frontline defence against exotic pests and diseases, with around 40,000 high-risk items already intercepted this year alone. 

“That’s why the Albanese Labor Government continues to invest in more detector dogs, as part of over $2 billion in additional biosecurity resourcing we’ve delivered since 2022. 

“As people from across Australia receive gifts from loved ones and welcome their family and friends to Australia over the holiday period, they can be assured that our biosecurity system never stops.”