Improving quarantine risk communication: Understanding public risk perceptions
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Date
2000-11
Authors
Finucane, Melissa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Decision Research
Abstract
Maintaining the health and wealth of Australia depends vitally on protecting
the nation's environmental and cultural treasures while capitalizing on the
opportunities presented by new technologies and products. Achieving a
balance between protection and progression, however, is influenced considerably
by prevailing perceptions of the risks associated with imported
commodities. A persistent community view is that a "no risk" quarantine
policy is a viable option. In contrast, import risk analysts view the expectation
of a "no risk" policy as untenable, given that Australia is a major agricultural
trading nation and has international obligations as a member of the
World Trade Organization and a signatory to the Agreement on the Application
of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Agreement on Technical
Barriers to Trade.
Biosecurity Australia, a group within the Commonwealth Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Australia (AFFA), recognizes that public
consultation and communication must be an essential part of the import
risk analysis process if the community is to share the ownership and responsibility
of effective quarantine policies. However, efforts to improve public
participation so far have paid little attention to understanding what determines
public perceptions of import risks and what methods will effectively
engage the public in meaningful dialogue about their expectations and responsibilities.
Description
49 pages
Keywords
Quarantine, Risk communication, Public perception
Citation
Finucane, M. L. (2000, November). Improving quarantine risk communication: Understanding public risk perceptions (Report No. 00-7). Eugene, OR: Decision Research.