O'Connor Damien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
O'Connor Damien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:671;Page:17617] 
10. 
Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Biosecurity 
: Does he agree with the statements made by John Lancashire and Stew Wadey President of Waikato Federated Farmers in the  
Dominion Post 
 yesterday that New Zealand is exposed to greater risk of incursions or exotic pests at our borders as a result of the “fast-tracking of tourists” the “attempts to abolish import restrictions” and his axing of 60 front-line border staff? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister for Biosecurity 
: No because all three claims are wrong. For example the Government’s SmartGate initiative enables travellers to move more quickly through our airports but improves biosecurity by freeing up staff to focus on high-risk passengers. Equally the Government’s new initiative to transfer X-ray images electronically from the port of departure rather than X-raying those same bags again on arrival improves efficiency but does not in any way compromise biosecurity. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: How can the Minister assure New Zealanders that the new visitor fast-tracking process will not expose New Zealanders to “incredible risks” in terms of pest incursions as stated by Mr Wadey in his article yesterday? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: New Zealand’s biosecurity systems are world class but that should not get in the way of using smart technology to try to support New Zealand’s very important visitor industry. With New Zealand hosting the Rugby World Cup using smart technology—such as the likes of SmartGate or alternatively the transfer of X-ray data that has been taken at the airport of departure—is a really good way for us to have a more efficient transfer of passengers through the airport while providing for New Zealand’s very important biosecurity. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: Is he willing to redraft the Government-industry agreement in the Biosecurity Law Reform Bill which is before the Primary Production Committee given the strong opposition from submitters including the submission today from the Meat Industry Association which stated that “industry will be required to write a blank cheque before any action will be taken” on incursions; if not why not? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The member’s claims are incorrect. The approach that the Government has with the industry agreement framework was actually proposed by the previous Government. In fact I have the Cabinet minute of 14 July 2008 in which the exact policy that the member is now objecting to was agreed to when he was in Cabinet. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: Why does the Minister think producers are still convinced that the axing of 60 front-line biosecurity staff in 2009 has contributed to the recent increase in incursions as stated by John Lancashire in his article yesterday? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Firstly the number of 60 is incorrect; the correct number is 19. I also clarify that the number of import staff in biosecurity increases and decreases with the amount of imports. A lot fewer imported cars are coming into New Zealand and biosecurity staff numbers have gone down accordingly. That is a natural consequence of this Government’s policies for rebalancing the New Zealand economy. Unlike the importing that occurred under the previous Government which was hugely unaffordable New Zealanders are now taking a more cautious approach and importing less.