When we think of Australia, we might think of a relaxing day at the beach, their chill cafe culture, and a generally laidback lifestyle.
However, something that they take very, very seriously is the country’s biosecurity.
A few weeks ago, a woman got a hefty fine for bringing a Subway sandwich from Singapore to Australia.
Recently, a similar incident happened to a traveller from Indonesia, who just had the most expensive McDonald’s meal of their life.
Source: James Mappin on Flickr
They had brought two McMuffins and a ham croissant into Australia, resulting in a fine of about S$2,600 (A$2,664).
On Monday (1 Aug), Australian agriculture officials said that a traveller received a fine of about S$2,600 (A$2,664) at Darwin Airport.
Their offence? Bringing two McMuffins and a ham croissant with them from Indonesia.
According to AFP via Channel NewsAsia (CNA), biosecurity detector dog Zinta managed to detect the fast food contraband in the traveller’s backpack.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture via The Guardian
Addressing the incident, agriculture minister Murray Watt called it “the most expensive Maccas (McDonald’s) meal this passenger ever has”.
Source: Australian Ministry of Agriculture/AFP via Channel NewsAsia
He noted that the fine is “twice the cost of an air fare to Bali”, The Guardian reports.
That said, Mr Watt has “no sympathy for people who choose to disobey Australia’s strict biosecurity measures”.
Australia has strict biosecurity laws to protect its agricultural industry from imported pests and diseases.
Furthermore, an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia has led to authorities ramping up cautionary measures. All meat imports from the country are required to undergo screening before being brought into Australia.
FMD is a serious and highly contagious disease that affects livestock including sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs.
This isn’t the first time someone has been subjected to Australia’s strict biosecurity laws.
Last month, a TikTok user recounted her experience of bringing a half-eaten Subway sandwich into Australia from Singapore.
As a result, she also received a fine of S$2,600 (A$2,664).
Fortunately for her, her story has a wholesome ending. When her story went viral, Subway sent her a gift card and merch box to compensate for the hefty fine.
While it may be difficult and troublesome to remember all the different laws for various countries, the regulations are there for a reason.
Therefore, it would be in our best interests to abide by them to avoid facing unpleasant – and expensive – consequences.
If a trip to Australia is in the cards for you, do make sure to double check your carry-on luggage for any food before boarding your flight. As adorable as sniffer dogs like Zinta may be, you do not want to be the one getting their attention while clearing customs.
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Featured image adapted from Eat This, Not That.
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