Proposals to strengthen the country’s vital biosecurity system, including greater flexibility around importing requirements, fairer cost sharing for biosecurity responses, higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods, and higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods have been released for public consultation.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has completed a review of the current Biosecurity Act 1993, which has included active input from KVH and many others.

While the Biosecurity Act is working well, there are some critical areas that need legislative change and MPI is proposing amendments that will update and modernise the Act.

There are a range of proposals for discussion - KVH will be making a submission on behalf of the kiwifruit industry which we will discuss in more detail in future Bulletins and share with you before finalising. The consultation package contains more than 70 proposals that span a range of areas in the biosecurity system, including:

• system-wide issues
• funding and compensation
• border and imports
• readiness and response
• long-term management
• surveillance and legislative interfaces.

If you would like to know more or review any of the proposals, please visit the MPI website here. Submissions close Friday 29 November 2024, and KVH welcomes any discussion you would like to have about our submission, or your own. Please feel free to get in touch.