Future of Pest Management Project Update August 2009

August 2009

The Future of Pest Management Project, led by MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ), is improving the pest management system so that it can deliver what New Zealand needs as a nation for the next 25 years. The project is now underway and will move quickly over the next nine months. The overall approach is to solve the critical issues that will make the biggest difference, build alignment in the sector and reflect this in an action plan for improvement. Biosecurity sector chief executives have established a clear scope and structure for the project, and given early direction on ‘outcomes and roles’ that form the sector’s foundations. The project is complex and there is little room for setbacks to deliver in the timeline that has been set. However, much has already been done and this is not a 'blank sheet' exercise.

KEY POINTS

By 31 March 2010 the project will deliver an action plan for sectoral improvement
Any ‘quick wins’ will be picked up and implemented as we go
A team of leaders has been appointed under the direction of MAFBNZ as neutral facilitators of good process and robust analysis
The project includes representatives from central and regional government, Maori, industry and other key stakeholders
Six work streams have been established each with a leader, working group and drafting team. The teams are: A. Action plan development and alignment; B. Roles and accountabilities; C. Crown obligations as a landowner; D. Legislative review; E. Physical controls and monitoring tools; F. Collective action and participation
Work stream leaders are charged with addressing issues and blockages which have characterised some attempts at reform in the sector
The process will allow for all sectoral needs to be identified and addressed while recognising that effective solutions will require dialogue and accommodation between the parties
The process will build on the direction and expectations set in the Biosecurity Strategy and other relevant government strategies
Sector executives are committed to participation and to achieving results that will provide the best overall pest management outcomes for New Zealand as a whole
Participants are being encouraged to put aside any past differences and work positively across institutional boundaries to design and agree to a pest management system that will last for at least the next 25 years.

THE WORK STREAMS

Work streams have now been established for the first six of the project’s seven work streams. Each work stream comprises a lead person supported by a small drafting team to draft key documents and a working group that will provide advice on how to solve key issues within its work stream.

Development of the action plan and project alignment will be managed within an overarching work stream.

The draft action plan combining proposals from the six work groups will be released for public consultation in May 2010. Interested parties will have three months to submit written responses which will then be taken into consideration in the preparation of the final plan.

The work streams, their leaders and the organisations who wished to be represented on them are set out below:

A. Action plan development and alignment

Purpose: To set context and direction, drive project alignment (internal and external), solve cross-cutting issues and capture project outcomes within a ‘national action plan’.