Biosecurity Awards
Recognising and celebrating our biosecurity team of all New Zealanders
The New Zealand Biosecurity Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding contributions to protecting our country. It's our way of celebrating people and organisations across Aotearoa who are contributing to New Zealand's biosecurity - in our communities, businesses, iwi and hapū, kura, universities and government agencies.
A biosecurity celebration
The New Zealand Biosecurity Awards recognise and celebrate exemplary contributions to:
- protecting our taonga (precious natural resources)
- ensuring New Zealand's biosecurity system remains resilient, effective, and world leading.
Entrants might be innovators, scientists, communities, teachers or leaders. Anyone who has taken an active interest in the continuous improvement of New Zealand’s biosecurity system. We want to recognise those who are doing their bit for biosecurity.
2021 winners
We are delighted to announce the Biosecurity Award winners for 2021 – our biosecurity champions!
Learn more about the winnersImportant dates

Friday 17 June 2022: Entries open
- Entries for the 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards open.
Sunday 31 July 2022: Entries close
- You have until 5pm (NZST) to complete and submit your online entry form.
Wednesday 21 September 2022: Finalists announced
- We’ll be ready to share the good news by announcing the finalists for each Award, with the exception of the Minister’s Biosecurity Award. Imagery to support your entry will be called for once finalists have been announced.
October/November (date TBC): Winners announced at the Awards dinner
- The New Zealand Biosecurity Awards culminates with a dinner in Auckland. Finalists will be recognised, winners announced and the recipient of the coveted New Zealand Biosecurity Supreme Award revealed.

Categories and criteria
Explore New Zealand Biosecurity Awards categories and criteria

Previous winners and finalists
Check out previous winners and finalists stories and project summaries

Why enter – the opportunity
Pride and sense of achievement
Sometimes we forget to celebrate and recognise the people, projects, teams, businesses, and communities that are doing amazing things to protect New Zealand’s biosecurity system.
Boost your profile
Raise your community, business, or personal profile. Finalists and winners may receive media coverage for their achievements. As a finalist or winner of a New Zealand Biosecurity Award 2021 you will gain invaluable recognition as an individual, organisation, school, hapū or industry delivering excellence in the area of biosecurity. This will support the positive image of your organisation, project, or associated work.
Evaluated by the best
By entering or nominating an individual or organisation for an Award, you have the opportunity to be evaluated by a panel of highly-respected professionals and representatives from industry, government, iwi, and community.

Recognition and reward
The announcement of the Award finalists and the Awards dinner will provide an opportunity for celebration and networking with others throughout varied areas of business and expertise. All Award finalists will receive:
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- 2 tickets to attend the Awards dinner
- a certificate of achievement
- inclusion in the Awards collateral and communications programme.
- A representative for each finalist in the BioHeritage Challenge Community Award and Biosecurity Kura (School) Award will also have their travel and accommodation costs to attend the Awards dinner met by the programme.
Award winners will receive:
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- a trophy and certificate of achievement
- a chance to say a few words at the dinner ceremony
- inclusion in the Awards collateral, media and communications programme.
- The BioHeritage Challenge Community Award and the Biosecurity Kura (School) Award winners will each receive a cash prize of $2,500.

News
Tracking pests from space wins big at Biosecurity Awards
A space-based biosecurity project has taken out the Supreme Award in the New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

News
Biosecurity Awards finalists protecting every corner of New Zealand
The 2021 Biosecurity Awards finalists named today show the huge effort under way to protect New Zealand from pests and diseases.

Story
Thomas (Tame) Malcolm - Biosecurity is in his nature
From culling wild goats to decimating invasive river weed, one Kiwi is combining his passion for the land with hard graft and te ao Māori.


"It was an honour to be recognised alongside so many amazing projects and a privilege to win the Supreme Award. We share this honour with our partners at the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, our awesome volunteers the Catfish Killas and all the biosecurity whānau who work hard to protect Aotearoa. Ka mahi tonu mātau mō te mauri o te iwi o Te Arawa."
William Anarua, Catfish Coordinator Te Arawa Lakes Trust
Supreme Award Winner 2019
