Strategy Advisory Group - Terms of Reference

A Biosecurity Strategy for New Zealand

New Zealand's biosecurity¹ systems are under pressure. Liberalisation in the international trading environment, the increasing number of people travelling between countries, and changing climatic conditions are all contributing factors. The scope of biosecurity is also expanding rapidly from its traditional focus on terrestrial primary production, to include human health and indigenous land, freshwater and marine ecosystems.

The Government has agreed to fund the development of a comprehensive Biosecurity Strategy for New Zealand by December 2002. The purpose of the strategy is to obtain agreement on the goals, objectives and measurable targets for New Zealand's future biosecurity programmes. The strategy will take account of Maori, environmental, primary production, public health, and trade and travel sector interests. It will apply to terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments. It will link where appropriate with the concurrent reviews of New Zealand's Oceans Policy and Border Management Systems, both of which have biosecurity components.

The Biosecurity Council is co-ordinating the strategy's development on behalf of a group of Ministers, and a strategy development team is managing the process on the Council's behalf. A Strategy Advisory Group will provide both the Biosecurity Council and the strategy development team with stakeholder perspectives.

Strategy Development Process

The strategy will be developed in an open and inclusive manner. Input will be sought from a wide range of stakeholders and the general public, and participants in the process will be encouraged to focus on those biosecurity issues they believe will be important in the future.

The development process will commence with the identification of important biosecurity issues. Central government agencies, local government bodies, industry groups, Maori and other stakeholders will all be involved in this phase of the project. The issues identified will form the basis of an Issues Paper for public consultation. A Draft Biosecurity Strategy will then be developed for a second round of public consultation. Both consultation rounds will involve national workshops, hui and public meetings. A final Biosecurity Strategy will be delivered to the Cabinet for approval.

Strategy Advisory Group

The Strategy Advisory Group will advise the Biosecurity Council and the strategy development team. It will be independently chaired, and will comprise approximately 10 members selected from persons nominated by interested organisations. Preference will be given to persons with strong networking skills, who can think strategically within and across sectors on biosecurity matters, and who have recent working knowledge of biosecurity issues.

The Chair of the Biosecurity Council, the Manager of the Biosecurity Strategy project, the Group Director of MAF Biosecurity, and a Treasury representative will attend meetings in an ex-officio capacity.

Role and Tasks

The role of the Strategy Advisory Group is to assist with the development of a shared vision for New Zealand's biosecurity. Group members are not appointed as representatives of specific sectors, and should not act as advocates for particular views. The Strategy Advisory Group should maintain a clear focus on achieving the best possible contribution from biosecurity to New Zealand's overall cultural, social and economic wellbeing.

Specific tasks for the Strategy Advisory Group include:

• maintaining a strategic overview of the strategy development process;
• encouraging ownership of the process amongst wider stakeholders;
• providing stakeholder perspectives on issues and proposals;
• commenting on specific papers;
• assisting with public consultation.

Term of Appointment

The Strategy Advisory Group will be convened during June 2001, and will operate for the duration of the Biosecurity Strategy project. The anticipated completion date for the Biosecurity Strategy is December 2002.

Operating Procedures

It is expected that the Strategy Advisory Group will develop its own operating procedures. Secretariat support will be provided. The group is asked to meet at least quarterly prior to Biosecurity Council meetings, which are scheduled for July, September and December 2001, and March, July, September and December 2002. Other meetings will be by agreement.

Members of the Strategy Advisory Group may also be asked to comment on specific issues or proposals, and attend selected meetings with the public or interested parties, at key times during the strategy development process.

Information resources

The Strategy Advisory Group will be provided with a document entitled Strategy Vision Framework. This document provides basic information about the strategy development process; current biosecurity structures, processes and programmes, and the government's expectations for the strategy.

Other information on specific topics will be provided on request.

Fees and expenses

In accordance with the government's intended 'partnership' approach for developing the Biosecurity Strategy, organisations are asked to contribute Strategy Advisory Group members' time free of charge. The Biosecurity Council will consider paying fees to advisory group members who are not being paid by other organisations.

Organisations are also requested to consider meeting some of the direct expenses of their nominated members where their contribution to the Biosecurity Strategy could reasonably be regarded as part of, or associated with, the organisations' normal business activities. All other direct expenses incurred by advisory group members may be reimbursed upon application to the Biosecurity Council secretariat.

Strategy development process and timeline

The following table sets out the overall strategy development process and key dates:

Identification of biosecurity issues	April - June 2001
Preparation of a biosecurity 'Issues Paper'	June - August 2001
Public consultation on the 'Issues Paper'	Oct - Dec 2001
Preparation of a draft Biosecurity Strategy	Jan - April 2002
Public consultation on the draft Biosecurity Strategy	May - July 2002
Preparation of the final Biosecurity Strategy	August 2002
Approval of final Biosecurity Strategy by Biosecurity Council and the Cabinet	Sept - Oct 2002
Launch of Biosecurity Strategy	December 2002
Implementation of Biosecurity Strategy	from 2003

¹Definition of biosecurity
The Biosecurity Council has defined 'biosecurity' to mean 'protection from the risks posed by organisms to the economy, environment and people's health, through exclusion, eradication and control'. This definition may be revisited during the development of the strategy.

Page last updated: 16 October 2008