Funding review of exports and treatment suppliers 2006 - 2007
A project is underway to review Biosecurity New Zealand's funding for the provision of export-related services.
Role of the Exports Group
The Exports Group in Biosecurity New Zealand's (BNZ's) Pre-clearance Directorate is responsible for providing official assurances to overseas governments, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, in relation to the zoosanitary certification of all live animals and germplasm, and the phytosanitary certification of forestry, horticultural and arable plant products exported from New Zealand. BNZ also approves treatment suppliers for the provision of official treatments to exported forestry and plant products.
Why do this review now?
The export of live animals and germplasm is governed by the Animal Products Act 1999, which requires that cost-recovery mechanisms and charges be reviewed every three years.
In 2005, BNZ published the results of a major funding review that identified some core principles relating to cost-recovery. The Biosecurity Funding Review highlighted an opportunity to apply a more consistent approach to cost-recovery and recommended changes to the ways in which export certification cost-recovery is managed. It prescribed the full cost-recovery of all certification, standards and export documentation work, including an appropriate share of overhead costs.
Because of legislative requirements, recommendations from the Biosecurity Funding Review, and the needs of stakeholders and the Exports Group for greater simplicity and certainty, BNZ intends for any changes to cost-recovery mechanisms and charges to take effect from 1 July 2007.
Objectives of review
The Exports Group decided to take a broader view of cost-recovery and explore options which would enable it to better budget its resources and deliver more efficient and equitable outcomes for industries. The Exports Group currently operates three distinct mechanisms for recovering the costs of export services from the following groups:
- live animals and germplasm
- horticultural and arable plants and products
- forestry.
These three groups are organised in different ways and have different scales of operations.
The review is two-fold and began with a retrospective analysis of the performance of cost-recovery mechanisms and charges. The Exports Group is looking to clarify and simplify cost-recovery mechanisms and charges. This will give greater certainty to export industries, and will allow the Exports Group to establish better reporting systems that can assist in future planning and reviews. The key objective is to have equitable, efficient, justifiable and transparent mechanisms and charges for recovering the costs of export services.
Consultation
During this review, reference groups consisting of BNZ staff and representatives from the New Zealand Food and Safety Authority, recognised agencies, and export industries have advised the project team.
Open and effective communication is necessary to identify and prioritise stakeholder requirements. To date, the Exports Group has discussed this review, including possible options for the future, with live animal and germplasm exporters at three meetings throughout New Zealand. The Forest Products Export Council, Plant Market Access Council and Pest Management Association New Zealand will also be consulted.
Following the release of discussion papers, all public submissions will be analysed and used to inform the final cost-recovery proposal that is presented to the Government.
Bruce Patchett, Business Support Officer,
Pre-clearance Directorate, Biosecurity
New Zealand, phone 04 894 0362,
bruce.patchett@maf.govt.nz
Back to Biosecurity Magazine - Issue 71
Page last updated: 30 April 2008