26.11.12

Undeclared ostrich eggs intercepted at border

Biosecurity officials have reported the bizarre discovery of two massive ostrich eggs in the luggage of a passenger at Auckland airport.

The two whole eggs with yolk each weighed around 1.5 kilograms. They were found loosely wrapped in newspaper.

The passenger was fined $400 and will face increased scrutiny by biosecurity officials if they make further flights to New Zealand, says team manager Steve Gay.

He says the eggs posed a high biosecurity risk to New Zealand. “There was the chance they could be carrying avian diseases. And we can’t write off the idea that the eggs were going to be used for breeding.”

“It beggars belief that the passenger could possibly forget to declare something so obvious in size and so risky for our primary sector and environment.

“Air passengers pass more than 30 signs asking them to declare or dispose risk items before they even speak to a quarantine inspector.”

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Scoop Business: Bathurst Gets Nod For DoC Access To Denniston Mine

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has approved access over conservation estate land for Bathurst Resources to develop an open cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau, above Westport, to the dismay of environmental opponents.

The timing for Smith’s move avoids Bathurst having to resubmit applications for access agreements under the revised Crown Minerals Act, which comes into force tomorrow and would have required public consultation.

The announcement lands in the middle of delicate negotiations between the company, environmental groups and other interested parties that could pave the way to a broader agreement on the Escarpment proposal, whose resource consents are still subject to court appeals. More>>