Strategies

Biosecurity Strategy

New Zealand's first Biosecurity Strategy (Tiakina Aotearoa – Protect New Zealand: The Biosecurity Strategy for New Zealand) was published in August 2003 by the Biosecurity Council. The strategy proposed a new direction for New Zealand's biosecurity, to deal with the mounting pressures on the biosecurity system.

In August 2003, the Government agreed that the Biosecurity Strategy’s recommendations would form the basis for Government’s improvements to New Zealand’s biosecurity system over the next five years. The Strategy highlighted inadequate strategic capability in the biosecurity system, and stressed the need for this capability to be added in a way which was demonstrably “whole of system”.

To support implementation, a Biosecurity Strategic Unit comprising people drawn from the biosecurity agencies (Department of Conservation, Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Health and MAF) was established. In November 2004, Biosecurity New Zealand was established, replacing the MAF Biosecurity Authority and consolidating some of the central government biosecurity services. The Biosecurity Strategic Unit was disestablished at the same time.

With the bringing together of Biosecurity New Zealand with the border services functions of MAF in 2007, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand was created. The biosecurity system supports a “point of intervention” approach based on three streams of activity – pre-border, post-border and cross system integration. It recognises that the biosecurity system contributes to broader environmental, economic and social outcomes. There is greater integration and coordination than previous, sectoral-based approaches. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand also continues to actively consult with other interested agencies, such as the Department of Conservation (offsite link to www.doc.govt.nz), Ministry of Health (offsite link to www.moh.govt.nz) and Land Information New Zealand (offsite link to www.linz.govt.nz).

While the Biosecurity Strategy remains the “founding document” of the new biosecurity system, the government supports the implementation of the recommendations and ongoing enhancements to the biosecurity system through the MAF Biosecurity New Zealand Strategic Plan.

Other Strategies

Since 2004, a number of strategies and systems have been developed in support of the biosecurity system. These include:

  • surveillance strategy
  • science strategy
  • response foundations
  • border systems

Page last updated: 18 January 2010