Biosecurity cuts threaten agriculture

Big cuts in MAF Biosecurity staff announced today are likely to threaten New Zealand's agriculture, opposition agriculture spokesperson Jim Anderton says.

MAF is slashing sixty jobs at the biosecurity border front line.

"Agriculture is the backbone of New Zealand's economy and it depends on New Zealand's biosecurity. A remote, island agriculture-based economy cannot afford weak biosecurity protection.

"Our economy is more exposed to biosecurity threats than any other developed country in the world.

"Prevention is better than cure. Money spent stopping pests getting in is more effectively spent than trying to eliminate pests once they are already here.

"Therefore cuts of sixty front line border staff are a risk to New Zealand.

"If there is now a biosecurity incursion in New Zealand, it will be the National government's fault."

Jim Anderton doesn't buy the government's excuse that biosecurity risks are dropping because of reduced border flows.

"Trade and passenger loads have been increasing rapidly in recent years and a drop of a few per cent this year is a drop in the ocean compared to increases in demand for more protection at the border.

"Biosecurity is a matter of moving resources to the highest risks. Therefore if the number of passengers and imports into New Zealand drop, the right response is to move resources into other priority areas. Cutting biosecurity suggests the government thinks all our biosecurity risks are covered adequately. They aren't."

ENDS

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