Monthly Bulletin

March 2025

This semi-regular update from the GIA Secretariat is intended to provide a general overview of the key matters considered by GIA governance bodies in the preceding month. It is not intended to communicate formal decisions by any of the parties, nor everything that happens within GIA. If there are any questions, or further information is required please contact steve.rich@gia.org.nz

Fruit Fly Council (FFC): 10 March
Key matters discussed included:

Debrief on the Council’s morning visit to the Oriental Fruit Fly North Shore Response operation centre in Auckland.

Agreement to close three of Council’s current work projects: automated traps, Other Flies classification work and moving the information repository project to Council’s administration budget.

Progress to date on current work projects including the lessons learned workshop, fruit fly impact on New Zealand indigenous plants & domestic movement controls.

Next steps on two initiatives discussed: reviewing response governance process following the two OFF Responses in Auckland, as well as further engagement opportunities with Australian counterparts.

Approval of the presented Terms of Reference and an in-principal approval of the ‘Other Flies’ work subject to signing a memorandum out of session that sets out how cost shares will be addressed in the event of an ‘other fly’ response.

The next meeting will be held on 17 June 2025.

Pest Impact and Beneficiary Classification (PIBC): 11 March
The PIBC Steering Committee met on 11 March 2025 with key matters discussed being:

Pilot work is now complete, and the framework has proved adept through several pilot pests, and recent PIBC work has focused on developing the pilot-informed “2025 Working Model” for DGG consideration in June 2025.

Work on behalf of the Xylella Action Group is underway and due for completion in early April and the Lepidoptera Working Group has agreed to use the PIBC framework to help inform review of beneficiaries in 25/26. Parties working on how GIA will impact industry in a bee disease response while maintaining access to pollination services, will shortly consider using the PIBC to inform beneficiary identification.

Proposals for further refinement through the 25/26 year and beyond are being developed for consideration by DGG:

Standing Up the PIBC and Application in Readiness - adopting the pilot-informed intra-industry framework as a standing programme and its application in readiness through pre-classification of sector priority pests; circa 50 over the next three years.

Early MPI notification of a biosecurity risk - exploring how MPI can provide early notification of a biosecurity risk.

Public/Private Benefit Assessment Pilot – work to explore improvements in how we assess and establish public/private benefit and impact and test a new/revised model (as appropriate) though several pilot pests.

Plant Biosecurity Council (PBC): 12 March

Key matters discussed included:

Review of the Plant Biosecurity Council Terms of Reference

MPI’s Response Training Programme and potential cost-reduction options.

The Readiness Pou within the GIA strategic framework, and how work in the wider plant sectors is helping to deliver on the objectives.

Importance of consistent early notifications of an unwanted organism and following agreed protocols.

Opportunities in using eDNA testing, particularly freshwater markers, for biosecurity awareness.

An update from B3 on current projects and the science sector reforms, including the creation of Public Research Organisations

Opportunities for collaboration across OA councils

The Plant Pass programme, with all members to encourage uptake from their nursery members.

Emerging Risk Update, including BMSB in Argentina, Serpentine leaf miner, fire ants, and eucalyptus beetle.

Māori engagement work across the plant OA councils

Updates on OA council activities – FFC, BMSBC, XAG, Lepidoptera WG, SBWG, Traceability, Bee diseases.

The 'Find a Pest' app and the need for members to inform app managers if support is to be withdrawn.

Amendments to the HSNO Act and the upcoming changes for biosecurity emergency use.

Bees Operational Agreement (OA): 13 March

The meeting confirmed agreement to undertake work to enable access to pollination services during a bee disease response for the users of pollination services.

Discussion on whether we should also build a bees disease readiness OA and/or a response OA drew a range of views, but no consensus, so this has been scheduled for more discussion at the next meeting.

Staff from the American Foulbrood Management Agency attended part of the meeting and discussed Agency operations and mandate under a National Pest Management Plan. It seeks to reduce disease incidence by 5% per annum, eventually achieving elimination.

The Secretary was tasked with:

Establish pollination schedules across sectors

Scoping for the development of a response plan to enable access to pollination services in a response.

Initiating development of pre-agreed cost shares and developing a proposal to have the PIBC undertake work to inform these.

GIA Operations Limited (GOL) Board Meeting: 17 March
Key matters discussed were:

Progress by MPI on policies for the prioritisation of its readiness budget.

The GOL financial report to 28 February 2025, showing a steady position with a high proportion of user-pays funding, expected to stabilise over the remainder of the year.

The need to establish more reliable/consistent capital reserves for GOL

MPI representatives provided an update on the Biosecurity Act review, with draft proposals specific to GIA expected shortly. Feedback will be sought both directly from GIA partners and through a coordinated response.

Volunteers will be sought for a levy design workshop; the Secretariat will test interest with partners.

A proposal for a general biosecurity duty is under consideration, with discussion planned for the DGG meeting on 4 April 2025.

The Board reviewed the draft agenda for the DGG meeting on 3 April 2025.

Members noted that MPI continues to develop the Biosecurity Action Plan, with a draft to be circulated soon.

Māori Advisory Panel Hui: 18 March

The Panel to explore option on how GIA can work with Māori to improve readiness and response outcomes met on 18 March 2025. Panel members welcomed the GIA initiative and considered it a considerable step forward.

Among other matters, a key output through a wide-ranging discussion was a set of principles to guide our work:
- Manahua – reciprocity, all views equal, I share with you what you share with me, giving and taking
- Balancing commercial and environmental interests (taonga) - Protecting environmental, economic and socio-cultural interests
- Early engagement – relationship based
- Having information to make decisions
- Understanding Māori hierarchy to guide engagement - mapping touch points, who to talk with about what, where and when
- Building relationships in peacetime
Key among other discussion points was the value of establishing a Kahui Māori, an advisory group, to bring and build understanding and establish connections and relationships.

The group next meets in early May after which a report is expected to provide DGG with options and recommendations for work in 25/26 and outyears.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Council (BMSBC): 20 March

Updates from Biosecurity NZ and Plant Health Australia on BMSB risks across New Zealand and Australia.

Further refinement of the project scope of a collaborative research proposal with South Korea, with a stop/go discussion expected at the next Council meeting.

Planning for the Harvest Shield 2.0 exercise (14 August) and ideas of cross-collaboration for that week among the BMSB Council, relevant MPI teams & Australian counterparts.

The proposed cost-share structure between Industry for the alternative host project pending B3’s funding confirmation in early May 2025.

Noting the process to date on the plant sector Māori advisor and how this can assist the Māori engagement aspect of the Council’s EPA applications work.

Progress updates on the rest of the Council’s programme of work, including the awareness campaign, Novaluron use in NZ, transition to Long Term management, aerodynamic traps, 3D BMSB models, social licence, surveillance project with Chile, EPA samurai wasps applications & YSSB parasitoid testing.

Feedback on Council’s Terms of Reference on better defining ‘urgent communication’ as well as other editorial changes.

The next Council meeting will be held on 8 July 2025 with the simulation exercise taking place on 14 August 2025 in Tauranga.

Plant Pass

NZPPI, as Plant Pass Scheme Manager, has provided the following update:

A Plant Pass workshop was held on 9 April, 10-1pm, Massey University, Palmerston North for all producers, Partners and those with an interest in the scheme.

The Summer 2025 newsletter has a focus on being incursion ready with a focus on Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), Fall Armyworm, Phytopythium helicoides and the Oriental fruit fly: https://www.plantpass.org.nz/biosecurity/news/plant-pass-summer-2025-newsletter

Plant Pass continues to build a network that prioritises biosecurity excellence and is pleased to welcome the support of two new Partners; Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital (TMBC) whose biosecurity commitments in the Bay of Plenty align perfectly with Plant Pass’s mission to strengthen risk management in plant production. Taranaki Catchment Communities (TCC) are a partnership between mana whenua and government agencies and play a key role in biosecurity response and readiness.

February 2025 Bulletin

November 2024 Bulletin

October 2024 Bulletin

September 2024 Bulletin

August 2024 Bulletin

July 2024 Bulletin

February 2024 Bulletin

December 2023 Bulletin

November 2023 Bulletin

October 2023 Bulletin