Boost for border protection in Brisbane
Issued by the Federal Minister for Justice and Customs
4 June 2002
In the latest move to enhance Australia’s border protection, the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison, today announced that Fisherman Islands in Brisbane is the site chosen for a major new Customs container x-ray facility.
This new facility is one of two being funded through an additional $39.8 million over four years announced in the recent Federal Budget.
“This extra expenditure on container facilities is just part of the $218.1 million Protecting our Borders election commitments to improve control over illegal movement of goods with minimal disruption for trade at the border,” Senator Ellison said.
“The enhanced container x-ray technology in Brisbane will boost the number of containers that can be screened each day. This will speed up the inspection process, while limiting physical handling of the goods and saving businesses a great deal of time in processing imports through Customs.”
“When the Fisherman Islands facility comes on stream early next year, Customs proposes to examine 60 containers per day or 15,000 per year in Brisbane.”
“This landmark x-ray technology will allow entire containers to be inspected without the need to physically unpack them. The machinery is capable of detecting weapons, drugs and other prohibited items,” Senator Ellison said.
A large 12-metre container can be x-rayed in approximately 10 minutes. In comparison, the average manual inspection time can be between a few hours and eight person days, depending on the type of goods involved.
“We expect this technology will provide a 20-fold increase in our current inspection capacity,” Senator Ellison said.
The 2.5 hectare site is being leased from the Port of Brisbane Corporation, which is also constructing the facilities.
“We are delighted to welcome such a significant contributor to the safe and efficient operation of the port as the first tenant in Stage Two of the Port of Brisbane Business Park,” Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Coleman said.
Modern x-ray technology can identify organic matter such as livestock and plants. This will give Customs extra assistance in helping maintain Australia’s quarantine controls against threats such as foot and mouth disease.
The new units will also have the added benefit of making it even more difficult to misreport consignments, evade revenue payments and commit fraud.
The recent Federal funding for container facilities also allowed for a similar facility to be set up in Fremantle. Enhanced cargo container x-ray facilities have been previously funded for Australia’s two major ports in Sydney and Melbourne. The container x-ray inspection systems will be manufactured by Chinese manufacturer NucTech Co. Ltd.
Other Protecting Our Borders election commitments delivered in full in the recent Federal Budget include:
- An additional $77.4 million over four years to double the number of at-sea days for Customs’ fleet of eight vessels to 2400 annually, providing additional staff for the vessels to enhance maritime surveillance and response capability;
- $28.5 million over three years to increase annual Coastwatch surveillance hours. The additional 1600 hours allowing for the maintenance of surveillance in north-west Australia as well as raising the capacity to respond to other taskings from law enforcement and government agencies;
- An extra $42.3 million over four years to obtain access to international airlines reservation systems to allow better screening of arriving and departing passengers for counter terrorism purposes;
- An additional $12.8 million over four years to trial, in conjunction with Defence, High Frequency Surface Wave Radar technology to increase surveillance coverage beyond capabilities of conventional microwave radar; and
- $8.1 million over four years to improve communications between airborne aircraft and the Coastwatch National Surveillance Centre.
“The Howard Government’s increased funding to Customs provides for better technology, more staff and more operational hours at the border – a strong sign of the priority this Government gives to the security and sovereignty of Australia’s borders,” Senator Ellison said.
