Friday, 18 May 2018 11:56

Opposition slam ‘small’ biosecurity allocation in budget

Written by 
Nathan Guy. Nathan Guy.

The Government has allocated “an extraordinarily small sum” to strengthen Biosecurity, National’s spokesperson for Agriculture Nathan Guy says.

Guy says this is despite the Government insisting that Biosecurity is underfunded prior to the budget announcement. 

“Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has announced a paltry increase of just $9.3 million for Biosecurity which is half of what National invested in Budget17 at $18.4 million.

“This is a 50% reduction and makes a mockery of the Government’s recent rhetoric.

“If they truly believed in what they’ve been saying lately, they could have injected hundreds of millions of dollars into further strengthening the Biosecurity system - but in yesterday’s Budget they showed this isn’t really a priority.”

Guy points out that farmers and growers haven’t forgotten Labour and NZ First’s track record on Biosecurity – “they voted against National’s border clearance levy a few years ago – which has proved a great success in generating more funding for Biosecurity”.

“Ironically, it seems the Primary sector – which is New Zealand’s biggest export earner – turns out to be the Budget’s biggest loser,” Guy says.

More like this

Featured

Nichol is new PGW chair

A day after the ouster of PGG Wrightson’s chair and his deputy, the listed rural trader’s board has appointed John Nichol as the new independent chair.

Fieldays to rebuild Mystery Creek services building

The iconic services building at National Fieldays' Mystery Creek site will be demolished to make way for a "contemporary replacement that better serves the needs of both the community and event organisers," says board chair Jenni Vernon.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Quid prod quo?

OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…

Deadwood

OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter