NSW Port Authority warned in January of ‘gaping hole’ in coronavirus biosecurity checks

Source: The Guardian Originally published on: 26/03/2020

The New South Wales Port Authority ignored warnings in January of the need for tighter biosecurity checks, the Maritime Union of Australia says.

In an email seen by Guardian Australia, MUA secretary Paul Garrett warned the NSW Port Authority chief executive, Philip Holliday, that ship captains could not be relied upon to self-disclose illnesses on board.

“There is a gaping hole in Australia’s biosecurity network due to the failure to implement adequate checks for coronavirus infections on vessels arriving at Australian ports,” Garrett wrote... Full article here