Geoff Ridley

1
HSNO Act The Next Generation

• Geoff Ridley
• Science Manager
• New Organisms
• ERMA New Zealand

2
Today

• HSNO Act and ERMA New Zealand
• The Act and how we implement it
• A strategic approach to applications
• Think big
• Think outside the square
• Think long term

3
Separation of Function

• Environmental Risk Management Authority or ERMA
  New Zealand
• Authority decision-making body
• Agency operational support
• Biosecurity New Zealand (part of MAF)
  compliance enforcement

4
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act

• Purpose to protect the environment, and the
  health and safety of people and communities, by
  preventing or managing the adverse effects of
  new organisms.

5
What is a New Organism?

• Not present in New Zealand
• Before July 29 1998 (including GMOs)
• Also Includes
• A risk organism
• An approved contained organism
• A conditional release organism
• A qualifying organism
• An organism that has been eradicated

6
Minimum Standards

• Decline if significant
• Displacement native species
• Deterioration of natural habitats
• Adverse effects on human health and safety
• Adverse effects on New Zealands inherent genetic
  diversity
• Or likely to cause or vector disease
• However only for releases not containment

7
Types of Approvals

• Laboratory/glasshouse studies (contained)
• Field tests (contained)
• Conditional release (not containedbut remains a
  new organism)
• Full or unconditional release (unregulated - no
  longer a new organism)

8
Recent Changes

• Low risk GM project approvals
• Approval at any taxonomic level
• Use of broad approvals
• Non-statutory advice on organisms present in New
  Zealand

9
Examples

• Low Risk GM project Function of plant genes
  involved in pigmentation synthesis in the
  Rosaceous family.
• Any taxonomic level Approval for herbaria
  to import all plants into containment.
• Broad approvals Risk Group 1 bacteria into
  containment.
• Non-statutory advice Clover species at
  Margot Forde Centre.

10
Think Big

• Group like organisms together, ie same risk
  profiles
• in one application

11
Think Outside the Square

• DO have a strategy from the lab to the market
  place and tell us about it we can help

• DONT just tell us what you think we want to hear

12

Think Long Term
Number of organisms 1,000 100
10 () (k)
Laboratory Field Release

13
Risk and Benefits

• Benefits are very important in the evaluation of
  field tests, conditional and full release.
• Benefits can balance risks

14
Fixed Fees for Applications

• Type of approval (excl gst)
• Non-statutory advice 0
• Lab containment 2,000
• Non-GMO field test 2,000
• Rapid assessments 500
• Conditional release (non-GMO)
  negotiated
• Full release (non-GMO) 30,000
• GMO field test 35,000

15
Think Strategically.

• HSNO is part of the science landscape
• Build it into your proposal regardless of source
  of funding
• Build it into your research programme

16
Pre-application

• Come and talk to us we are not as bad as you
  think!

17
Some Questions

• Are researchers often unprepared, unsupported,
  and under resourced when submitting applications?
• Are researchers including regulatory matters in
  their strategic planning?
• What can we do to help you?

18
HSNO Act Working with Maori

• Linda Faulkner
• General Manager, Maori
• ERMA New Zealand

19
Why Work with Maori?

• HSNO Act requirements
• Sections 5(b), 6(d) 8
• Government requirements
• Response to Royal Commission Report
• Opportunities
• Mitigate cultural risk
• Maximise cultural benefit
• Build on traditional knowledge

20
Consultation is Easy
21
When to Engage?

• Potential for significant effects to
• Environment
• Cultural
• Health Wellbeing
• Econonmic Development
• Treaty of Waitangi

22
Rule of Thumb

• Youll need to engage if
• Involves or impacts on native or valued flora or
  fauna
• Human genetic material
• from Maori
• GM field trial or release
• Disproportionate health
• or wellbeing effects

23
Local or National?

• Local Impacts
• Contained biologically or physically
• National Impacts
• Widespread release
• Involves taonga
• First of a kind

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How to Engage?

• Locally
• Meeting presentation discussion
• Nationally
• Three Levels
• I - Information distribution nationally
  request feedback
• II I Meetings with specific interest groups
• III I Meetings in key regions nationwide

25
Information Pack Content
Process
Lay introduction to research
Risks Benefits
Return Envelope
Address Risks (controls?)
Template Response Form
26
How much will it cost?

• Estimates provided
• Dont panic we arent expecting this level of
  interest !

27
Think Strategically

• Maori engagement is part of the science landscape
• Build all relevant consultation costs into your
  proposal regardless of source of funding
• Build Maori engagement into your research
  programme

28
Pre-application

• Come and talk to us we are not as bad as you
  think!