10. Biosecurity Management—Biosecurity and Border Processes and Import Health StandardsRICHARD PROSSER (NZ First) to the Minister for Primary IndustriesBiosecurity Management—Biosecurity and Border Processes and Import Health Standards10. RICHARD PROSSER (NZ First) to the Minister for Primary Industries: Does he believe that New Zealand has robust biosecurity in light of Mycoplasma bovis and other recent incursions?Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries): Yes I do. This Government has placed a huge focus on biosecurity and overall funding is now at a record high of $248 million per year. Even if we completely closed the borders biosecurity would not be zero-risk; therefore responding to incursions is an expected part of our overall biosecurity system. On average the overall number of incursions per year has been consistent with previous years going back to 2000. This is despite strongly increasing passenger and cargo volumes.Richard Prosser: Does his belief that New Zealand has robust biosecurity and border processes extend to the import health standards for bovine semen and embryos; if not why not?Hon NATHAN GUY: Our import health standards are a legal document and indeed there is an investigation under way to try to determine how M. bovis made its way to New Zealand. I would prefer not to speculate; I would prefer that the investigation be allowed to get on with the good job that I am sure it will do.Richard Prosser: How does his belief that New Zealand has robust biosecurity border processes and import health standards square with Mycoplasma bovis myrtle rust being found almost exclusively in nurseries and pea weevil and velvet leaf being present in beet seeds that were certified weed-free?Hon NATHAN GUY: We have got a multilayered biosecurity system. To do with myrtle rust—this is wind-borne. New Zealand First seems to think that a passenger brought it into New Zealand. The reality is that if it has a look at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research's wind-plume modelling there are six wind events this year with a very high probability of myrtle rust being carried across the Tasman and reaching New Zealand.Richard Prosser: How does he reconcile his belief in New Zealand's robust biosecurity and border processes with the fact that there have been over 150 biosecurity incursions since the election in 2008—mushroom compost containing animal manure being imported from Europe and now of all things mud from overseas being imported into Rotorua?Hon NATHAN GUY: I was delighted to see in Budget 2017 that $18.4 million has been allocated to further strengthen the biosecurity system. That will allow us to review the most at-risk import health standards. Actually if New Zealand First and Labour want to get serious about biosecurity they will need to front up in the campaign to farmers and woolsheds and cowsheds up and down the country and say why they did not vote for the border clearance levy. That is a huge embarrassment for them when they talk about funding.Richard Prosser: How can biosecurity be robust when not one New Zealand airport has ever achieved MPI's compliance targets and while this Government's much-vaunted National Animal Identification and Tracing project for tracking livestock movements is only now being initiated 10 days after Mycoplasma bovis was first confirmed?Hon NATHAN GUY: If the member wants to refer to the investments that this Government has made just in recent times to do with the biosecurity system I just want to remind him: 50 new biosecurity staff 20 new dog detector teams new X-ray machines—which means we can do more at the border—and the border clearance levy which means we have got more funding. With increased tourism numbers we have now got more funding to do more and provide more services on the border. We are doing a huge amount. We have got 14 Government industry agreements whereby industry has signed up and is partnering with the Government on preparedness and response. There is a huge amount happening and I am actually very proud of the fact that this Government has achieved a huge amount in terms of strengthening the overall biosecurity system.