Saturday, March 30, 2024

Bill to bolster biosecurity

Neal Wallace
A members Bill being lodged this week will allow border officials to refuse entry to visitors who knowingly bring with them products that breach our biosecurity laws.
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The National Party’s Clutha Southland MP Hamish Walker says his Bill is similar to that recently introduced in Australia, which, according to the Stock Journal, has seen two Vietnamese nationals turned around at the border in the last two months for carrying undeclared pork products.

The Bill also proposes increasing fines at the border from $400 to $1000 for those breaching biosecurity laws.

“Prevention is key in protecting our borders and if offenders are deterred further by the risk of heavier fines or even entry refusal we are further protecting our country,” Walker said.

The Bill must be drawn in a ballot before it can enter the Parliamentary process.

Walker says the biosecurity risk to NZ is increasing as visitor numbers have risen 35% in the last 10 years and more recently Mycoplasma bovis, Queensland fruit fly, myrtle rust and velvet leaf have all breached NZ biosecurity checks.

With African swine fever making its way through Asia towards Australia, Walker says his Bill aims to provide greater protection to the primary sector from such diseases.

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