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Winners And Losers Approach To Biosecurity Won’t Work
PSA MEDIA RELEASE
5th July 2012 - For Immediate Use
Winners And Losers Approach To Biosecurity Won’t Work
The Public Service Association says the government risks setting up a winners and losers approach to biosecurity which could put business interests ahead of sensible regulation.
A report into the outbreak of the devastating PSA kiwifruit disease is recommending that the Ministry of Primary Industries should reprioritise its resources from low risk industries to high risk industries.
Public Service Association National Secretary Richard Wagstaff says reprioritisation also means rationalisation.
“It’s all very well to pour resources into high profile industries where there are known threats, but that should not be at the expense of other industries which also need to be able to rely on robust biosecurity processes and risk analysis.”
“A biosecurity breach can devastate not only industries of today, but industries of the future. Equally it can devastate our environment and our international reputation, which is not in the interests of New Zealand.”
By saying it will boost frontline staff numbers now, the Ministry of Primary Industries is admitting that a sinking lid policy on staff and budget cuts have not worked.
“While it’s good to see that 40 extra positions are being added, the reality is they will simply bring numbers up to what they were four years ago and won’t help restore cuts to administration, policy and positions which all help support the frontline,” Mr Wagstaff says.
The independent report into the PSA biosecurity failure shows that proper regulations were not established or maintained.
“That raises questions around whether government policy is becoming too business-facing at the cost of robust biosecurity policy. It’s critical that a sensible balance is maintained to protect everyone’s interests and the integrity and effectiveness of New Zealand’s biosecurity system.
“It should also serve as a warning to the government not to be tempted to lighten regulations in favour of being overly business-facing,” he says.
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