Borders Controlled Says Luxton

"New Zealand's border control is admired around the world, with some of the highest interception and detection rates recorded," Hon John Luxton, Minister for Food, Fibre Biosecurity and Border Control said today, in response to a misinformed Labour commet from their Agriculture spokeperson.

"Detection rates at our main gateway of Auckland are extraordinarily high - 94.7% for fruit material and 84.3% for meat products.

"But to compare the main gateways of Auckland, and to a lesser extent Christchurch, with the smaller international airports in this country, shows a lack of understanding of this country. Auckland is the one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, its airport serves a wide variety of cultures and hosts aircraft from many parts of the world. In general, a higher proportion of travellers to the main gateways do not realise that New Zealand's biosecurity regulations are amongst the most demanding by international standards.

"It is just too glib for Labour Agriculture spokesman Hon Jim Sutton to compare the main gateways to the smaller airports that serve trans-Tasman travellers (apart from Wellington which has two small arrivals from the Islands every week). These are overwhelmingly Australians and New Zealanders, who have a high appreciation of the vital importance of keeping our borders secure. They have high quarantine standards to meet on both sides of the Tasman, and in general are very willing to do so. It is not a question of more items that should be seized getting through, it's just that less items requiring seizure are arriving at those airports. Frequently people arriving at Auckland will be bringing presents of food for their family. People arriving for a week's skiing at Queenstown are most unlikely to be doing that," said Mr Luxton.

"There is anecdotal evidence that the presence of a detector dog can spur bursts of honesty from passengers. However, dogs are certainly not used on every flight arriving in New Zealand and they have been used from time to time at the Regional airports.

X-ray machines and detector dogs operate at the main airports within New Zealand. This was done an exhaustive cost benefit analysis and is based on need.