Bio-terrorists could devastate 'soft' NZ

New Zealand has been labelled a "soft target" for bio-terrorists who could wreck the economy with diseases such as foot and mouth or anthrax.

A spokeswoman for Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Jim Sutton confirmed that the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and other crown agencies were working on a strategy to stop bio-terrorists infecting New Zealand herds with such diseases.

New Zealand's official response to the September 11 attacks in America has been to increase airport security to deter hijackers.

However, behind the scenes an army of Government officials has been working to stop the intentional importation of deadly pests and diseases.

It is estimated that an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease would wipe billions of dollars off New Zealand's gross domestic product and result in a 25 per cent decline in living standards.

The Government has been aware of the bio-terrorist threat for some time.

"We are continually looking at our biosecurity measures, particularly in light of foot and mouth. Threats have been identified but it would be a breach of security to tell you [who they are]," Mr Sutton's spokeswoman said.

Federated Farmers national president Tony St Clair said the economy would come to a grinding halt if bio-terrorists struck.

"Anthrax, foot and mouth, botulism. All these things are accessible. The events of September 11 have made everybody have a rethink about what is possible.

"Bio-terrorism is something that is alive and well out there and the population should be ever vigilant about it.

"There is no other nation in the world that is so reliant on the export of primary produce as we are and it is all dependent on our pristine biosecurity status. We guard it jealously," said Mr St Clair.

Environment Canterbury chairman Richard Johnson said New Zealand was a "soft target".

"The New York thing is an example of how you can devastate the most powerful nation in the world so quickly and so easily.

"People who want to attack a country don't do it by the old conventional methods. They do it in a way that will affect people and affect the economy.

"Foot and mouth would be the worst thing in the world to bring in for anybody with a grudge against this country. We have been hearing about anthrax in America and people spreading it with crop-dusters. It is an animal disease. It would devastate our economy."

Disease could be smuggled past Customs and then infected animals could spread throughout the country. Such a scenario would make control almost impossible.

Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton, who was Acting Prime Minister during the September 11 attacks in America, said he had overseen heightened airport security but that he was just as concerned about biosecurity measures under a newly launched programme called Protect New Zealand.

"We need to protect our borders, not just in the sense of keeping out the invaders but all the things that affect our economic wellbeing."

The Government spends $123 million a year on biosecurity protection.

- NZPA