Government delivers on pest management promise

Crown land will be required to meet ‘good neighbour' obligations in regional pest management strategies, Biosecurity Minister David Carter has announced today.

"This means all land owners in New Zealand will be bound to control pests, such as rabbits and wilding trees, so that they don't ‘spill over' and affect their neighbours," says Mr Carter.

"Today's announcement delivers on National's promise to ensure that the Crown meets its obligations as a responsible landowner and to develop a unified approach to pest management for all land."

Mr Carter today released a proposed Pest Management Plan of Action for public consultation to support this approach.

"The cost of established pests to our economy runs close to $1.9 billion a year - $1.15 billion of lost production and $719 million in directly preventing pests from arriving in New Zealand and managing them once they are here.

"The proposed Plan of Action looks at ways to ensure our pest management strategies limit this cost, and meet the needs of today and challenges of tomorrow," says Mr Carter.

"This will help drive a new national policy direction which will further strengthen and align pest management plans as they are developed."

Mr Carter acknowledged the constructive engagement of regional councils in the process so far, and said it reflects a strong and shared commitment to effective biosecurity.

"Work still needs to be done to ensure that pest management strategies deliver the best protection possible and impose equitable costs on all landowners.  I am optimistic that this approach will be made easier by the Government's decisions," Mr Carter says.