Biosecurity (Information for Incoming Passengers) Amendment Bill

Members, we come now to the Biosecurity (Information for Incoming Passengers) Amendment Bill. Members, we come first to the debate on clause 1. This is the debate on the title. The question is that clause 1 stand part.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s a pleasure to be in the Chamber this evening to discuss the Biosecurity (Information for Incoming Passengers) Amendment Bill.

This is a short bill, but an important one. The bill will add another layer of defence to our biosecurity system, which prevents threats getting in through our border. It protects our food and fibre sector and our environment.

This bill, essentially, provides someone who is in charge of a craft, be that ship or aeroplane, to provide information to the craft’s passengers about New Zealand’s unique biosecurity arrangements and the particular laws that we have to protect our biosecurity and biodiversity here in New Zealand. The type of information that’s required to be provided will be set out in regulations to be drafted by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The bill was supported unanimously by the Primary Production Committee and reported back with amendments. The MPI officials made 11 recommendations, which were all accepted by the members.

This bill has been asked for by our food and fibre sector stakeholders, in particular. It’s been asked for, for a long time, because at the moment it’s voluntary to provide information about our particular biosecurity arrangements here in Aotearoa New Zealand. We know that not all airlines, for example, were providing such information at the time that the bill was drafted.

This isn’t a huge bill, so I’m not going to labour the point, but I welcome questions from members this evening.

Madam Chair, thank you very much for the opportunity to speak on this bill or ask at least some questions of the sponsoring member, Steph Lewis, this evening. Congratulations on having the bill drawn, and well done for shepherding it through the House thus far. We have made it very clear that the National Party is going to support the bill, and we do encourage and support any measures to strengthen biosecurity law in this country, because we do recognise—like many others in this Chamber—how very, very particularly important our agricultural industry is to this country, its society, its community, and its economy, but also our native flora and fauna. And we’ve seen good examples of the likes of kauri dieback and the impact that’s had on our taonga, really—our native trees—and what a loss that would be if further incursions would take place.

I know the Primary Production Committee did canvas this, but I just would like to delve into it a little bit more, because, having not sat on the select committee myself, I really would like a further explanation as to why the decision was made to carve out private planes, boats, and so on that are arriving into our ports, because, to me, that would seem a risk, an unpoliced—so to speak—activity. I don’t know personally the numbers of people landing on our shores through our various types and varieties of ports, and I would really like to understand the level of risk and the level of exposure that they bring to this country, and why the decision was made to carve them out and what securities are in place to ensure that they do adhere to these upcoming rules.

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