Biosecurity is more than just border checks or pest control. It’s a whole system involving many people, policies, institutions, and industries. Aotearoa New Zealand’s biosecurity system is often celebrated as world-leading, a vital shield protecting our people, environment and economy from pests and diseases.

Yet, beneath this reputation lies a system under growing pressure. Invasive pests, fast-spreading pathogens, and persistent weeds are constantly testing the systems’ limits. Concerns are often raised that the system is fragmented, reactive, and narrowly focused on certain species. With accelerating climate change and global mobility, the question is no longer just how strong is our biosecurity system, but how ready is it for what may be coming next?

Our work aims to better understand the biosecurity system’s strengths, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for more connected and future-ready responses. We are mapping how the biosecurity system works in Aotearoa, from government policies to local strategies, to the everyday actions of communities and scientists. Our research will consider how decisions are made about what needs to be protected, the ways different organisations and networks share responsibility, and pathways to strengthen the system.

Biosecurity is not just a technical issue. It’s a combination of social, cultural, political, and ecological practices. It reflects how we see ourselves in relation to nature, how we value biosecurity, and how we plan for a future where humans and other species can thrive together.

The current biosecurity system in Aotearoa New Zealand was established under the Biosecurity Act 1993. In the three decades since, the system has gone through many changes, involving many people and agencies across scales, as well as fast-changing tools and technologies. The pressures on the system have also increased considerably, including increased human mobility and climate change.

This research considers how Aotearoa can continue leading the world in nurturing the delicate relationships between and with te taiao. This project will help imagine more inclusive and resilient ways to care for Aotearoa’s living landscapes by understanding the relationships, governance structures, and knowledge systems that shape the biosecurity system.

Within this project, we have several strands of research underway:

• Systematic literature review of scholarship on Aotearoa New Zealand’s biosecurity system (led by Dr Aline Carrara). This work explores trends in the system’s development over time, as well as synthesising its strengths, needs, and outcomes.
• Summer scholarship (2025-2026) (co-led by Dr Aline Carrara and Dr Raven Cretney) analysing submissions of recent amendments to the Biosecurity Act to identify key concerns raised by individuals and groups about the operation of the biosecurity system.
• In-depth interviews with practitioners with significant experience in the biosecurity system (e.g. in government, industry, research sector) to shed light on the development of the biosecurity system, its pressures, and opportunities to strengthen it.

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