Regional Pest Management Plan Review
Horizons is required to review our Regional Pest Management Plan from September 2027 under the Biosecurity Act 1993. While the current RPMP is still in effect, the pest management landscape is ever-changing. The review will help us understand whether our plan includes the appropriate pests and ways to manage them. During the review process, we’ll seek input from iwi/hapū, key stakeholders, and the community to ensure we identify and consider all relevant issues and options.
What's happening now?
Phase 3 of the project is underway. We're required under s100D of the Biosecurity Act 1993 to initiate the review from 26 September 2027 with a proposal document.
During the review, we must ensure the strict tests in the Act and the National Policy Direction on Pest Management 2015 are met. Council will need to consider factors including which species to include, their adverse effects, which management programme would be appropriate, if including a species in the RPMP is more appropriate than relying on voluntary actions, if the benefits outweigh the costs, what rules to include, and if implementation can be funded.
On 25 August 2026, Council gave officers some direction to assist in developing the proposal document. Information on this direction can be found here.
Project timeline
Project Establishment: January, 2024 to November, 2024 (complete)
Discussion Document: November, 2024 to June, 2026 (complete)
RPMP Proposal: June, 2026 to September, 2027 (underway)
RPMP Decision: October, 2027 to July, 2028 (upcoming)
What work has been completed?
Evaluation of the current RPMP
We’ve already completed a formal evaluation of the current RPMP to assess how effective, efficient, and consistent with legislation it is and whether we are achieving what we set out to. The findings from this evaluation, alongside iwi, stakeholder and community input, will help to identify the issues we need to be consider as we go through the review process.
Read the evaluation here.
Discussion document
We developed a discussion document outlining issues found with the current RPMP and some options to address them. The document set out what biosecurity management means when using a RPMP and defines the scope of what is achievable.
We asked for your views on the issues and options raised in the discussion document. This feedback will help to shape the next version of the RPMP. Submissions were received by Council on 25 August 2026, and can be found below.
Download a PDF of the discussion document.
Read the discussion document online and follow the project consultations
Read the summary of submissions on the discussion document
Read the full submissions on the discussion document
Contact Us
To register your interest in engaging with the RPMP review, or for any queries about the review, please email us at: regionalpestmanagementplanreview@horizons.govt.nz.
You can also sign up to receive updates on our consultations here.