December 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

Plant Sector Māori Advisor Pilot Steering Group: 1 December  
The following key matters discussed were:

• The pilot is joined up project among GIA plant sector partners to test and reinforce existing response plans, and help build new, readiness and response plans that will secure Māori and mana whenua partnership in a response and improving biosecurity outcomes.
• Common themes have emerged from a review of the six Plant Council readiness/response products and include the opportunity for a Māori stakeholder mapping tool, and the inclusion of a Treaty focus in operational specifications. A good deal of feedback is common across all councils, and a joined-up approach is likely useful with “clip-ons” for pest-specifics. Next steps include:
  • A final report with recommendations for work across individual plant Councils, likely across the Plant Sectors and perhaps relevant across the GIA partnership
  • Development of guidelines for Māori Engagement
  • Development of “Māori 101 for GIA” guidance
  • A “kai and korero hikoi” planned for 2026 to pilot GIA engagement with local Māori in-place. This is intended to initiate relationships and partnership in readiness and response.
• This plant sector project will run through February or March 2026 when parties will consider outcomes and work, if any, through a second phase.

Xylella Action Group (XAG): 2 December  
The following key matters discussed were:

• A representative from Blueberries NZ joined the meeting as an observer.
• The Technical Lead update:
  • Identified 14 new Xylella hosts: mostly ornamentals and including several New Zealand indigenous plants.
  • Reports that the economic impact in Europe if Xylella was to spread throughout the European Union would be €7.1 billion and put more than 540,000 jobs at risk.
• Current projects include:
  • Awareness of Xylella – development of a media plan and collateral, and the launch of a public awareness campaign.
  • A February 2026 workshop to brainstorm several detection scenarios and response actions/outcomes.
  • Development of readiness measures for nurseries and growers.
  • Development of Surveillance Delimiting Protocols.
  • Response OA negotiations are expected to commence in March or April 2026, and in the meantime, industry is working on their positions for the public private benefit share, identification of beneficiaries, parties impacted by and the extent of impact across Xylella subspecies and fiscal caps.
• B3 scientists joined the meeting to provide updates on projects to understand the susceptibility of NZ indigenous plants based upon observation in infected overseas jurisdictions (several native plants are identified as hosts), and the characteristics of endemic vectors (spittlebugs).
• The Plant Sector pilot Māori Advisor presented an early view of his findings on the alignment of Te ao Māori and Xylella readiness and response plans.
• The group has initiated planning for new work commencing in the 2026/27 year. Some will be extensions of current projects, while discussion of potential new work included:
  • A stakeholder engagement and/or Public Information plan/package
  • A workshop in the impact of Xylella on New Zealand indigenous plants
  • Work informed by the Plant Sector’s pilot on Māori engagement
  • Review of current surveillance programme
  • Triggers in response decision making
  • The economic impact of Xylella in New Zealand
  • Australian collaboration.
• The group meets next in February to advance the development of the Xylella Response OA and in March for the first of the 2026 quarterly meetings.

​Pest Impact and Beneficiary Classification Steering Group (PIBC SG): 8 December
At its 8 December 2025 meeting the PIBC Steering Group considered the project brief for the Public/Private benefit assessment project.  Key discussion points included:

• Given the recently initiated Deed review and the interdependency of this process and facets of the Deed review, this work should now parallel the deed review. 
  The counterfactual and treatment of direct/indirect impact are two examples.
• The group noted the work DCANZ has provided following a independent review
• Discussion emphasised avoiding rushing things trying to get everything done by 30 June, but to be realistic about what we can get done and focusing on doing it well.

• The Secretariat was asked to canvass the partnership for SG members, and work with the plant sector pilot Māori advisor to secure a Te ao Māori perspective.
• The group will next meet on 11 March 2026.

Pan-GIA Kahui Māori Panel: 8 December
The Pan-GIA Māori Advisory Panel met on 8 December, discussion points included:

•  An update on the plant sector pilot Māori advisor pilot and its plans to run a Gisborne hui to test a model for Māori engagement “in place”.
• The principal agenda item was consideration of the project brief for the first of the pan-GIA Māori engagement projects, the undertaking of response case studies, to understand where and how several biosecurity responses interacted with Māori and to further test readiness issues, gaps and opportunities through several “future” response scenario. The project includes several stages:
  • An analysis of past GIA and exemplar environmental responses. 
  • A workshop to undertake a deep dive into several past responses. 
  • A DGG breakout session in March testing how we approach several future scenarios.
  • Recommendations for how GIA can work better with Māori in readiness and response. 
• The Meeting noted:
  • Including environmental responses is useful – engagement has been better in several recent responses.
  • There are likely useful learnings from cyclone Gabrielle and the 1080 experience.
  • That we should keep it simple and there’s no need to rush, it is better to do it well.
  • Anecdotal feedback remains a useful indicator
  • Models have been developed elsewhere, for example several National Science Challenge projects
  • We need to ensure landowner participation.
  • Need to consider engagement from both operational and governance perspectives.
• The group will meet next on 10 March 2026.

Poultry Council: 9 December
The following key matters discussed were:

• Document version control and the need for a single master set of documents.
• The emerging work programme for the Council, including projects focused on:
  • Progress updates on operational work supporting poultry producers, including readiness and response planning.
  • Industry support mechanisms and funding proposals, including clarity on roles and contributions.
  • Coordination and oversight of depopulation and response activities, including defining responsibilities and resourcing.
  • Communications planning, including ensuring messaging reaches the wider sector, refining briefs, and developing disclaimers.
  • Trialling and evaluation of new biosecurity and depopulation methods, including health, safety, environmental, and animal welfare considerations.
  • Supply chain resilience planning and exploring potential approaches and options.
  • Financial relief support for farmers and engagement with other industries.
• Planning for next financial year.

Foot and Mouth Disease Council (FMDC): 9 December
The following key matters discussed were:

• Updates on Lumpy Skin Disease (ahead of the formal commencement of the FMDC meeting)
• Sheep traceability and Electronic Animal Status Declarations (EASDs)
• Lessons from HPAI industry engagement
• FMD Council work Programme, including:
  • Operational plans and workforce planning
  • Response governance exercise
  • Compensation review for destroyed stock
  • FMD equipment and storage planning
  • Vaccination antigen bank review
  • FMD response industry communications planning.
• Updated budget and invoicing

Planning for the next meeting and the 2026/27 work programme.

Plant Pass Biosecurity Scheme (PPBS) Update

• ​Plant Pass Annual Report 2025 was published, refer to the link to review our year of biosecurity action within the plant production sectors.
• Plant Pass Version 2.0 consultation closed with strong participation from producers, auditors, and Partners; feedback analysis is underway to refine the audit criteria while safeguarding scheme integrity.
• The end-of-year newsletter was issued, reinforcing the scheme’s role in national biosecurity assurance and updating stakeholders on audit model development and sector engagement. 
• Welcomed three new Plant Pass Partners: Taranaki Regional Council, Manawatū District Council and Boffa Miskell
• Producer engagement remained steady despite economic pressures across the nursery sector.

November 2025 Bulletin

October 2025 Bulletin

September 2025 Bulletin 

August 2025 Bulletin 

June/July 2025 Bulletin 

May 2025 Bulletin

April 2025 Bulletin 

March 2025 Bulletin

February 2025 Bulletin