Friday, 18 May 2018 11:56

Opposition slam ‘small’ biosecurity allocation in budget

Written by Rural News Group

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

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

Biosecurity progress and challenges for NZ winegrowers

Dr Ed Massey is General Manager Sustainability at New Zealand Winegrowers.

New Zealand Winegrowers farewell key biosecurity leader at end of 2025

New Zealand Winegrowers Biosecurity Advisor Jim Herdman is retiring at the end of 2025, after six years helping develop NZW's member-facing biosecurity programme, putting together resources and guides, and delivering high-quality workshops and advice.

Biosecurity NZ ramps up hunt for yellow-legged hornet on Auckland’s North Shore

Biosecurity New Zealand is intensifying its campaign to locate and eliminate the invasive yellow-legged hornet, following confirmed detections on Auckland's North Shore.

Velvetleaf Threat: North Island growers urged to stay vigilant

A recently held arable field day in the Manawatu brought with it a timely reminder to be on the lookout for velvetleaf incursions.

MPI defends cost of new biosecurity lab

The head of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) biosecurity operation, Stuart Anderson, has defended the cost and the need for a Plant Healht and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) being built in Auckland.

Featured

Three new grower directors appointed to FAR board

Effective from 1 January 2026, there will be three new grower directors on the board of the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR).

Competition snares over 33,000 wild goats

The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition has removed 33,418 wild goats over the past three years.

New healthcare model needed to address rates of rural obesity

New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.

Storm-damaged trees still causing havoc in Southland

Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees

Ashburton dairy farmers reinvent their system with return to spring calving

Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.

Open Country opens butter plant

When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.