Apple moth spraying programme influences Budget figures

The Government is spending less on biosecurity but says this is because no decision has been made on whether to keep spraying for painted apple moth.

Budget documents show the Government has allocated $141 million in the 2003/04 year, down from $177m it estimates it will spend in the financial year ended June 30.

Further decreases are logged for 2004/05 ($129m) to 2006/07 ($122m).

The documents say the budget trends are largely influenced by levels of funding for specific disease and pest incursions.

Incursions between 1998/99 and 2002/03 included saltmarsh mosquito, painted apple moth, varroa bee mite, red fire ant and mycoplasma mycoides.

Budgets increased from 2001/02 due to the $400m over 15 years for a pest management strategy for bovine tuberculosis which added $10m to $15m a year in funding increases.

"The reduction in funding for 2003/04 is due to no decision having yet been made on whether the painted apple moth spraying programme will continue past June 2003," the documents said.

Biosecurity Minister Jim Sutton said the budget allocated $2.457m over four years for aircraft, passenger and mail clearance.

Another $2.3m next financial year -- rising to $2.5m for the two following years -- had been allocated for responding to exotic diseases, specifically foot and mouth.

Ongoing funding of $117,000 had been allocated for reference laboratories and $1.2m for surveillance for gypsy moth, wood-boring and bark beetles, and fire ants.

Some $559,000 for enforcement and prosecution in animal welfare investigations has been stripped from the biosecurity budget.

Mr Sutton said the Government had allocated $170,000 in 2003/04 and $365,000 in 2004/05 for the development of wildlife disease surveillance systems.

The Government expects to collect $1.6m from infringement notices issues to people entering New Zealand will undeclared goods.

- NZPA