1. Phytosanitary Risk Analysis – the New Zealand Experience
Dr Mike Ormsby
Senior Adviser Risk Analysis
Biosecurity New Zealand
October 2005

2. Overview Scope of the New Zealand phytosanitary risk analysis system
The international regulatory framework in phytosanitary trade issues as it applies to New Zealand
The New Zealand phytosanitary risk analysis system
A risk management decision making framework, and input from risk analysis.

3. Scope of NZ Phytosanitary RAs
All pests of plants (phytosanitary)
All commodities on which pests of plants may pose a risk (e.g. plant material, animal material, inanimate objects)
Consequences for pests of plants includes impacts on all values (e.g.
Environment (urban, natural, flora, fauna, marine (amenity values))
Health (human (societal) physical and emotional health (cultural, aesthetic conditions etc))
Economic (primary production, environmental, direct and indirect))

4. International regulatory framework
New Zealand is a signatory to three international agreements relevant to the management of phytosanitary-related trade issues.
The agreement of sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS agreement)
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
The Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD)

5. SPS Agreement
SPS Agreement enables sanitary and phytosanitary measures to be taken, in the context of trade, to protect human, animal or plant life or health, provided that those measures either conform to international standards OR are scientifically justified on the basis of assessment of risks

6. International regulatory framework

7. Outcomes New Zealand’s phytosanitary RA framework must be:
consistent with the IPPC standards where measures are to be applied to protect plant health
meet the requirements of the SPS when developing measures to protect all other values potentially impacted by plant pests e.g. animal or human health, or the environment

8. System Design Parameters
The New Zealand risk analysis framework must meet:
1. International Requirements
combine both the OIE and IPPC frameworks
meet IPPC and SPS requirements
2. Domestic Expectations
be Effective, Efficient, Transparent, and Consistent
mitigate risks to all values.

9. NZ phytosanitary risk analysis system

10. NZ phytosanitary risk analysis system
Project Planning
Project Plan (e.g. time lines, deliverables etc)
Communication Strategy (e.g. peer review, consultation etc)
Risk Criteria
(e.g. Hazard = Potential hazard or Not a potential hazard
Consequence = Negligible or Non-Negligible
Likelihoods = Negligible or Non-Negligible)
Hazard Identification
Hazard Scoping (e.g. grouping like hazards)

11. NZ phytosanitary risk analysis system
Risk Assessment (Risk = Consequence x Likelihood (of each identified hazard))
Overall Risk Estimation (for each hazard)
Assessment of Uncertainty (for assumptions and risk estimates)
Evaluation of Mitigation Options (against the acceptable level of risk)
Assessment of Residual Risk (what risk is left?)
Peer Review (by external experts)

12. NZ phytosanitary risk analysis system
Close Out
Consultation
Close out report (report on things that went wrong, and things that went right)
Records Management (ensure supporting information is maintained for future review)

13. Risk management decision making framework

14. Uncertainty and Residual Risk
Identifying Uncertainty
Aids in identifying weaknesses in analysis
Aids in developing research priorities in support of risk analysis
Measuring Residual Risk
Aids in monitoring effectiveness of measures (know what failure is)
Informs risk management decision maker

15. CONCLUSION
It is possible to adapt existing risk assessment frameworks (IPPC and OIE) to address all (phytosanitary and other) biological risks from pests of plants
Project management disciplines aid significantly in delivering consistency and efficiency to the risk analysis program.
The risk analysis program can independently inform the risk management decision making process

16. Protecting New Zealand’s natural advantage
New Zealanders, our unique natural resources, our plants and animals are protected from damaging pests and diseases.
Dr Mike Ormsby
Biosecurity New Zealand