Protect New Zealand's stall at the Pasefika Festival got more than it's fair share of inquisitive looks as thousands of visitors were greeted with the quarantine mesage. THe stall wasn't selling t-shirts, handicrafts, or food nor was it stage for rap performers or hip-swinging island dancing . On the contrary, visitors were given free brochures, posters and sun-visors carrying the biosecurity message with the primary aim of Protect New Zealand: to get overseas travellers, in particular Pacific islanders, to be aware of moving quarantine risk items and to get them to declare these items to airport quarantine. 

Joining the team of MAF Biosecurity Officers handing out free information on quarantine was Mr. Emil Adams, Information Officer for SPCs Plant Protection Service who flew up from their Suva-based offices. Mr. Adams trip was in support of Protect New Zealand biosecurity awareness campaign, a multimedia campaign that was launched last year and aiming to get Pacific islanders to declare quarantine risk items when they travel in to New Zealand. When Pacific islanders travel overseas they mainly take food items as gifts to friends and relatives. Protect New Zealand's main objective is to get travellers to declare all food and plant material to reduce the risk of new pests and diseases getting to New Zealand. There is also a spot fine of NZ$200 if travellers are caught with quarantine risk items. Keeping the momentum going from the campaign last year the basic message on biosecurity is taken to places where large numbers of Pacific islanders gather such as the Pasefika Festival. 

SPCs Plant Protection Service reaches 22 Pacific island countries with the quarantine message. SPC and Protect New Zeland have similar goals thus are collaborating and working together to get the message out to travellers to declare quarantine risk items. 

Thousands of visitors stopped by the Protect New Zealand information stall and were given free sun visors with the Protect New Zealand message, quarantine brochures and posters in Tongan, Samoan and English. Posters on Samoan Quarantine were distributed to Samoan visitors who stopped by. 

"This gathering of Pacific islanders is enormous by any standard and what an excellent opportunity to highlight the quarantine message," said Mr. Emil Adams. 

"Most of the Pacific islanders who stopped by, mainly Tongans, Samoans, Cook Islanders and Niuens, enquired about what kind of food stuffs they can take back to the islands. In particular they enquired if they can take stuffs like fresh sausages, fresh corned beef, canned corned beef, apples, cheese and flower cuttings. Any fresh meat product or plant cuttings are not allowed entry in most countries because of the threat of harmful diseases that are not found back in the islands. These are the messages that we are campaigning to get across to Pacific islanders and the risks involved when moving with quarantine items," said Mr. Adams. 

Also on hand to liven up the stall was Samoan personality and music artist Mr. Pati Umaga, who had in previous years organised the highly successful Pasefika festival. Pati informed currious on-lookers rushing by and emphasised the 'Declare, don't get fined message'. He also conducted the biosecurity bingo where players learned facts on biosecurity while enjoying a game of bingo.

"The Pacific Island community is an important audience and recently Protect New Zealand launched a tailored programme to provide information about pests and disease risks and the actions people can take to minimise their introduction and spread. Pasifika is a crucial component of the programme, providing a platform to communicate these messages to the Community" says Adrienne Tollemache, Programme Co-ordinator, Protect New Zealand. 

SPC Plant Protection Service and Protect New Zealand will next target huge crowds of Pacific islanders expected at the South Pacific Games in Fiji later in June this. More than 5,000 athletes, officials and visitors will be attending the two-week event and will be prime targets for quarantine awareness messages. The two programmes will assist efforts by the Fiji Ministry of Agriculture, Sugar and Land Resources to get people to be more aware of risks involved in carrying quarantine items.