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We want a resilient biosecurity system
A new strategy will ensure our biosecurity system safeguards Aotearoa New Zealand from biosecurity risks, ensuring our values (economic, environmental, social and cultural) are protected. We want to ensure continuity from the 2003 strategy (Tiakina Aotearoa – Protect New Zealand) and the 2016 strategy (Biosecurity 2025), retaining valuable principles and insights, to carry the progress forward. This will help us deliver a more resilient biosecurity system.
New Zealand places significant importance on biosecurity. It helps us to protect our native flora and fauna, whenua, freshwater and marine environments, as well as our culture, lifestyles, livelihoods, and health. Our national system is greater than the sum of its individual parts. It's a multi-layered, interconnected network of people, infrastructure, tools and technology, processes, and regulatory activities.
Everyone in New Zealand has a valuable role to play in supporting our biosecurity. The intent is that this national strategy will help everyone across the biosecurity system to work together more effectively.
Setting our priorities is becoming more important
While our biosecurity system has served us well, the threats we face are growing in scale and complexity. Risk pathways, along with our climate, are changing, and there is increasing pressure from both new and established pests and diseases. In this complex environment, a shared view on strategic direction and a mechanism to determine strategic priorities becomes even more important.
It is timely to develop a new biosecurity system strategy. There is a high level of enthusiasm for a new strategy amongst stakeholders and Te Tiriti o Waitangi partners.
What has been done so far
In 2021, Biosecurity New Zealand began looking at the strategy for the biosecurity system to identify any gaps, reviewing previous strategies and their deliverables, such as the 2003 strategy (Tiakina Aotearoa – Protect New Zealand) and the 2016 strategy (Biosecurity 2025).
- We undertook an analysis to ensure that valuable aspects from previous system strategies were retained and updated to fit the current state and challenges.
- We established a think tank group – the Biosecurity System Strategy Working Group (BSWG) to develop and test ideas for a new strategy. The group is a non-representative group of knowledgeable people from across the biosecurity system.
Throughout 2023, we have been drafting a new biosecurity system strategy.
- We gathered feedback from Biosecurity New Zealand and MPI staff, and undertook targeted engagement with Māori and youth.
- A series of 6 online workshops were attended by a range of people with local, regional and central government, Māori, industry, environmental, science, non-governmental agency, and Crown Research Institute perspectives.
- Workshop participants provided initial thoughts of how they, and their organisations, could contribute to the strategy’s priorities. This feedback has been valuable for the development of the strategy and will continue to provide value during implementation planning.
Our new draft strategy
We are using what we have heard to shape the draft strategy. In 2024, subject to ministerial and cabinet approval, we will publicly consult on a final draft version, with the aim of finalising and releasing the strategy in 2024.
The strategy will:
- inform the overall strategic direction for the biosecurity system in New Zealand
- help all system participants work more effectively and collaboratively across the system,
- provide a shared platform to advance implementation development.
It sets out an updated vision and mission for the biosecurity system to provide continuity from previous strategies and establishes clear actions to strengthen the biosecurity system over the next 5 years.
Successful implementation will require the active involvement of all participants in the system. Every participant will need to step forward, and commit to actions that collectively move us closer to achieving our joint vision and mission.
Who to contact
If you have any questions about the strategy or engagement, email thisisus@mpi.govt.nz
