Declare or Dispose: Keeping Biosecurity Threats Out of New Zealand Using Behaviour Change

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the case study of how the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Border Compliance Social Marketing Programme follows a benchmarking criterion to deliver behaviour change. The programme is tasked with changing behaviour of international travellers to New Zealand to protect the country’s environment and horticultural and agricultural indus- tries from harmful pests and diseases. This is by either leaving biosecurity risk items at home, declaring items to border staff on arrival, or disposing them of in special amnesty bins. Advocacy from local communities to family and friends over- seas is also targeted. The programme follows the UK’s National Social Marketing Centre (NSMC) benchmark criteria in ensuring theory is followed, segmentation and insights are essential (gathered by ethnographic and quantitative research), and methods mix creates interventions throughout the passenger journey to New Zealand. The programme over its ten years has seen a clear reduction in potential biosecurity risk items seized at the New Zealand border. Quantitative research also points to significant change in the behaviour of leaving items behind pre-travel and declaring items on arrival. The programme contributes to the wider biosecurity system, which aims to protect New Zealand’s horticultural and agricultural industries. The horti- culture industry alone is worth $5.6bn to the country’s economy. Biosecurity also guards New Zealand’s native flora and fauna from pests and disease, which is a key attraction in the $12.9bn tourism industry of New Zealand.