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New and genetically modified organisms

A new organism is defined as a plant, animal, insect or micro-organism foreign to New Zealand. This includes:

  • a new species not present before 29 July 1998
  • an organism that has been given containment approval
  • a genetically modified organism (GMO)
  • an organism that has been eradicated from New Zealand.

The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) Act 1996 regulates new organisms in New Zealand. Passed in June 1996, it brought a whole range of laws under one piece of legislation. It represents a significant reform of environmental legislation in that it gives consideration of the environment equal status in decision making with other factors such as health or agriculture. It also provides explicitly for the regulation of genetic modification (GM).

Provisions relating to new organisms took effect in July 1998. The Act established the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand), the agency that assesses and decides on applications to introduce hazardous substances or new organisms into New Zealand.

Royal Commission on Genetic Modification

In July 2001, the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification reported to the Government on the issues surrounding genetic modification in New Zealand. The Royal Commission recommended a precautionary approach which preserved options for the future. The Government endorsed that approach and initiated a work programme across Government to support its policy of proceeding with caution with GM while preserving opportunities.

In September 2002 the Ministry for the Environment circulated a public discussion paper Improving the operation of the HSNO Act for new organisms setting out proposals and options for amending the HSNO Act to improve how it works for new organisms and to incorporate the recommendations of the Royal Commission.

In February 2003, the Government announced its proposed amendments to the HSNO Act. Those amendments were contained in the New Organisms and Other Matters Bill has received Royal Assent by the Governor General and came into force on 30 October 2003.

Other work to implement Royal Commission recommendations

The amendments are just part of a series of decisions the Government has taken in implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission. In 2001, Parliament passed an amendment to the HSNO Act to temporarily prevent applications to release GM organisms and to make specific controls on field testing mandatory for a two-year period. It was imposed to give New Zealand the time to investigate potential benefits from GM technology and explore ways to more effectively minimise any risks.

New organisms

The information in these pages is about genetically modified organisms. But the term “new organisms” does not include just GM-organisms. It also includes non-GM organisms that people might want to introduce to New Zealand. Examples of this include:

  • new species of fruit or vegetable that people want to grow
  • species that are biological control agents
  • animals kept in zoos or circuses.

More information on new non-GM organisms is available on the ERMZ New Zealand website.

Parasitic wasps are a risk species

On 17 March 2005 the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Risk Species (Strains of Microctonus aethiopoides) Regulations 2005 came into effect.

The regulation provides that all strains of the parasitic wasp Microctonus aethiopoides, other than the Moroccan strain, are a risk species and are now new organisms for the purposes of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO).

Research may continue on any other strain of the wasp species already present in New Zealand. However, approval from the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) is now needed before any strain other than the Moroccan strain may be imported into New Zealand or released to the environment.

To view the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Risk Species (Strains of Microctonus aethiopoides) Regulations 2005, visit http://gpacts.knowledge-basket.co.nz/regs/regs/text/2005/2005019.txt.

For more information:
Contact the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA), phone (04) 916 2426 or email info@ermanz.govt.nz

Living modified organisms

New Zealand has ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (the Protocol), a multinational agreement, set up under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, to regulate international trade of living modified organisms (LMOs). Under the Protocol LMOs include all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and organisms produced by the fusion of cells from different taxonomic families.

The Protocol will enter into force for New Zealand on 25 May 2005. The Imports and Exports (Living Modified Organisms) Prohibition Order 2005 was passed to enable New Zealand to comply with its obligations under the Protocol relating to exports of LMOs. The Prohibition Order will take effect from 25 May 2005, when there will be new requirements that must be met before any LMOs can be exported.

For more information on the Protocol, see the Ministry's Cartagena Protocol page.

Ongoing management of conditionally released genetically modified organisms

On 14 July 2008 the government’s Cabinet Business Committee considered a series of proposals aimed at providing a greater level of transparency and increased accountability in the management of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Last updated: 31 July 2008