She may currently be crowned at the top of the ARIA charts, but pop star Katy Perry has triggered the alarm on Australia’s national security.
Rather than anything to do with the US singer herself, the Federal Government has declared her music a biohazard.
Don’t dismay Katy diehards, it’s not a slight towards the buxom pop star’s girl-kissing, teenage-dreaming content, but instead the delivery method of her recently released fourth studio album, Prism, which poses a threat to Australia’s fragile eco-culture.
The Department of Agriculture have raised the alarm over concerns with international copies of the record, with deluxe editions of Prism coming bundled with small packets of seeds that have been identified as a risk to the country by bio-security offices. (Turns out Nick Cave’s not the only one with Bad Seeds…)
“The Australian Government has a strong system in place to detect and respond to material of biosecurity concern. This includes the inspection of mail, cargo and baggage,” a department spokeswoman tells News Ltd, which includes the Perrry’s gesture to fans to plant seeds that come packaged with her new LP.
“Seeds or plant material of international origin may be a weed not present in Australia or the host of a plant pathogen of biosecurity concern,” adds the spokeswoman, with the country’s strict customs laws keeping a close watch on copies of the album being shipped in from overseas.
The locally produced version of the ARIA-topping album has been given the all-clear, with the production company assuring the Department of Agriculture that the Australian release contains harmless, locally grown Swan River daisy seeds, but the Department is still checking any and all imported copies of Prism that are entering the country.
“Our biosecurity officers at international airports, seaports and mail centres assess the risks associated with various items every day and are well trained in making informed decisions about whether items could be of biosecurity concern,” explains the spokeswoman.
The supposed biohazard threat is likely increased by fans of the ‘Roar’-hitmaker looking to get the Prism Deluxe Edition on the cheap. The seed-endowed version of the release retails for $22.99 on JB Hi-Fi’s online store, but going selling for US$ 14.99 on the popular Amazon online store.
If you’re wondering why plant seeds are being packaged with the pop star’s CD to begin with, Katy Perry – now officially the most popular person on Twitter according to The Guardian – told her 46,601,561 followers (more than Bieber? Beliebe it) that Prism comes with “a seed prism you can plant to spread the light!” Obviously…
(Image: Katy Perry – Prism Deluxe Edition. Source: Jessica Explains Everything)
