APHANZ members rated improvements in the regulatory approval process through one-on-one surveys. Criteria for selection of respondents for the pulse check survey considered those with the highest number of applications in the queue and included all major R&D companies.
The inaugural survey of members by Animal and Plant Health New Zealand (APHANZ) show no sign of meaningful change since a Ministry for Regulation review earlier this year.
Not a single member reported improvements in the regulatory approval process. Almost half (48%) said regulatory performance had worsened for the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Group of the Ministry for Primary Industries (ACVMG), and nearly a quarter (23.8%) said the same for the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
The results from the pulse check survey are consistent with what we have heard and supports our assessment of progress against our Blueprint for Change. The blueprint outlines practical steps that don’t require legislative change that regulators can take now to streamline approvals for agricultural, horticultural, and veterinarian products. These include international harmonisation approaches and use of trusted regulator assessments.
APHANZ members strongly support harmonisation approaches but say regulators could make more use of these tools to streamlined ACVMG approvals process on the ground.
To support delivery of tangible outcomes on the ground, a working group of APHANZ members developed and proposed Self Assessable Changes (SACs) to shrink applications of minimal risk (C1-3, C9). Many of the working group are former ACVMG regulators or have domestic and international regulatory experience. Their proposals carefully considered risks unique to New Zealand and have undergone independent international regulatory/technical review.
ACVMG have tabled alternative proposals, which in our members view will increase workload with low impact - adding red tape and time to the process, rather than streamlining it. Members support implementing the original proposals for SACs to move the dial immediately, providing access for farmers, growers and veterinarians to tools already in use and trusted overseas.
Download a copy of Pulse Check survey results Pulse check results
Download a copy of Blueprint for Change progress report Blueprint for change progress_Website
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