New Zealanders overwhelmingly back proposed changes, according to Minister Andrew Hoggard.
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has expressed satisfaction with the level of engagement on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act, which attracted 137 submissions during a three-month public consultation period. The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed its review and is now refining policy recommendations based on the input received.
Proposed changes include increased fines for passengers carrying undeclared high-risk goods, greater flexibility in importing requirements, and fairer cost-sharing for biosecurity responses. Minister Hoggard acknowledged some areas of disagreement, particularly around cost-sharing with industry and compensation eligibility. However, he highlighted strong support for introducing new infringement offences and additional penalties for travellers.
The Ministry will provide final policy recommendations later this year after further consultation with submitters, including Government Industry Agreement (GIA) partners, iwi, regional councils, importers, and other interest groups. A report summarising the submissions is available on the MPI website.