The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries defended itself in the High Court at Wellington yesterday over its policy of importing an organism that hitches a ride in Australian honey.
The Beekeepers Association said if Paenibacillus alvei was coming into the country separately, it would be subject to strictEnvironmental Risk Management Authority regulations before it was cleared. As it was a "passenger" organism, it only needed to be checked by the less rigorous Biosecurity Act, regulated by the ministry.
Peter McCarthy, a ministry lawyer, said primary organisms were automatically covered by the authority's rules, while those coming into the country on products would be monitored by the ministry.
"MAF is an expert body and they will assess risks and would not be inclined to let risky organisms into (the country)."
Paenibacillus alvei had been assessed by most of 10 experts as not posing any risks, although one had said it might cause disease.
