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Biosecurity Act 1993

Importation of risk goods - Inspections, declarations, etc

30A: Processing unaccompanied goods

You could also call this:

"Checking goods that arrive in New Zealand without an owner to keep everyone safe"

When goods arrive in New Zealand without someone with them, an inspector can check them to see if they are safe. The inspector can open any packages to look at the goods. They can also inspect the goods to make sure they do not have any pests or diseases that could harm New Zealand. If the goods are not safe, a chief technical officer can give directions on what to do with them. You must follow these directions if you are given them. A chief technical officer can also decide to let you export the goods or send them back to where they came from, but you would have to pay for this. If the goods are an endangered species, as defined in the Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989, a chief technical officer must talk to the Director-General of Conservation about what to do with them.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM315305.

Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Farming and fishingImmigration and citizenship > Border control
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"Goods you must give to inspectors when arriving in New Zealand"

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"Inspectors can stop and check planes, boats, and other craft for risk goods."

Part 3Importation of risk goods
Inspections, declarations, etc

30AProcessing unaccompanied goods

  1. Where any imported goods other than goods inspected, examined, or surrendered in accordance with section 30 or section 35, are in a transitional facility or biosecurity control area, an inspector may, for the purpose of determining whether the goods are, or contain, risk goods,—

  2. open any bag, box, parcel, container, or other thing containing the goods:
    1. inspect the goods.

      1. An inspector may enter a transitional facility or biosecurity control area for the purposes of subsection (1), but must do so—

      2. at a reasonable time or times; and
        1. in the manner required by section 112.

          1. Subsections (4) to (9) apply to goods in a transitional facility or biosecurity control area that—

          2. are risk goods; or
            1. contain risk goods; or
              1. are unauthorised goods; or
                1. contain unauthorised goods.

                  1. A chief technical officer may give directions that—

                  2. may apply to the particular goods or to goods of their kind:
                    1. may be about disposal, treatment, or any other dealing:
                      1. must be reasonable.

                        1. A person to whom the directions are given must comply with them.

                        2. A chief technical officer may offer the importer or owner of the goods the option of exporting the goods or returning them to their place of origin at the importer's or owner's expense.

                        3. A chief technical officer may—

                        4. permit the goods to be held in the Director-General's custody for as long as is necessary for the importer to obtain a biosecurity clearance:
                          1. require payment in advance of the estimated costs and expenses of the custody and maintenance of the goods.

                            1. A chief technical officer exercising powers under any of subsections (4), (6), or (7) must, as far as practicable, act in a manner that is consistent with avoiding or minimising loss to the importer or owner of the goods while achieving the purpose of this Part.

                            2. If the goods in a transitional facility or biosecurity control area are an endangered species, as defined in section 3 of the Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989, a chief technical officer must—

                            3. consult the Director-General of Conservation about the disposal of the goods; and
                              1. dispose of the goods as the chief technical officer thinks fit.

                                Notes
                                • Section 30A: inserted, on , by section 17 of the Biosecurity Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 89).
                                • Section 30A(1): amended, on , by section 5 of the Biosecurity Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 38).
                                • Section 30A(2): replaced, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).
                                • Section 30A(3): replaced, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).
                                • Section 30A(4): inserted, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).
                                • Section 30A(5): inserted, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).
                                • Section 30A(6): inserted, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).
                                • Section 30A(7): inserted, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).
                                • Section 30A(8): inserted, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).
                                • Section 30A(9): inserted, on , by section 26 of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).