Following the discovery of an unwanted beetle from Germany, National's Biosecurity spokesperson Eric Roy has today renewed his call for protocols around imported materials passing through our boarders to be reviewed.

"The Government needs to be reminded that biosecurity is a much wider issue than just lessening the risks inbound passengers bring.

"We must increase the surveillance at every boarder site. Risks to New Zealand's biosecurity are ongoing and protocols around importing the likes of machinery and materials must be reviewed. The fact that I have an identified beetle from Germany in my office is testimony."

Mr Roy said a South Island importer found the beetle in one of the many food containers he was importing.

"Apart from the risk to New Zealand, it is not unreasonable to expect higher standards given that the imported container was for a value-added product that is an approved organic food," he said.

The black beetle will be sent to MAF for identification and inquiries as to how it got here.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>