Amendments to the Biosecurity Act 1993

A Biosecurity Law Reform Bill has been introduced to update the Biosecurity Act and allow the biosecurity system to respond to an increasingly challenging environment. The Primary Production select committee will consider the Bill in detail during the first half of 2011, and has called for submissions on the Bill to be lodged by 10 February 2011. The Committee has set up a link for online submissions, and this can be accessed here . The Bill can also be downloaded from this link.

This page provides background information on the amendments, including links to information papers, reports from stakeholder consultation workshops and Cabinet papers

Project drivers and scope

Changes in technology, new approaches to managing risk, and a drive for improved efficiencies mean that the Biosecurity Act 1993 has not kept up with the changing face of New Zealand’s biosecurity system. The project’s focus is on the need for change in key areas rather than on reviewing all aspects of the Act.

Stakeholder consultation

In November 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) prepared an information paper (115 KB) to introduce the priority areas of the Act that appear to warrant amendment. For each of the main subject areas, the paper set out the drivers for change, what should be different in the future and what might change in the Act.

Stakeholder workshops were held in November 2009 to discuss the proposals outlined in the information paper.   Based on feedback received at the workshops, written submissions and further analysis, MAF developed more detailed proposals for change, as set out in the Summary of Proposals paper (246 KB).

MAF held a second round of workshops with stakeholders in February 2010.  A report from the workshops is available:

• Report from Biosecurity Act amendment workshops - Wellington and Auckland, 22 and 26 February 2010 (341 KB)

Cabinet decisions

The feedback from the second round of workshops, and from a further round of written submissions, contributed to the development of proposals that were considered by Cabinet in June 2010.  Cabinet agreed to the proposals in the following papers:

• Biosecurity Act 1993: Approval for Amendments (99 KB)
• Managing Pests in New Zealand: Discussion Paper and Legislative Changes (79 KB) 

The related Regulatory Impact Statement can be found here , and further information on the Future of Pest Management project is available here.

For further information

Enquiries about the review can be sent to:

• Biosecurity Act Review
  Policy and Risk Directorate
  MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
  P O Box 2526
  WELLINGTON 6140
  
  Email: biosecurity.act@maf.govt.nz
  Policy and Risk Facsimile: (04) 894 0730

Page last updated: 20 December 2010