Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
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Agency overview | |
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Dissolved | 2012 |
Superseding agency | |
Jurisdiction | Australia |
Headquarters | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
Minister responsible |
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Agency executive |
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Website | https://web.archive.org/web/20080925094838/http://www.aqis.gov.au:80/ |
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service was the Australian government agency responsible for enforcing Australian quarantine 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
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
See also
- Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
- Biosecurity in Australia
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
References
- ^ "About Biosecurity Australia". Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
- ^ "Biosecurity Services Group". Archived from the original on 29 September 2009.