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.
Entries are now closed. Finalists will be announced in October.
Important dates

19 June 2023: Entries open
4 August 2023: Entries close
October 2023: Finalists announced
November 2023: Winners announced at Awards event

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 2023 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 extensive communications programme.
- A representative for each finalist in the BioHeritage Challenge Community Award and Biosecurity New Zealand 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
Tackling invasive pests using environmental DNA wins at New Zealand Biosecurity Awards
Exceptional biosecurity leadership and its role in protecting our economic security were celebrated at the 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

News
Tough competition for 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards Finalists
The 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards finalists are here, and competition for all eight categories has been the toughest in the award’s history.

News
Search is on for New Zealand’s biosecurity champions
Entries are now open for the 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards. These awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions made around Aotearoa New Zealand to protect our country against pests and diseases.


“Winning the 2022 Supreme Award has driven a sharp increase in the uptake of environmental DNA monitoring across the country. The recognition has drawn attention to the enormous possibilities that emerging technologies such as eDNA can offer.”
Shaun Wilkinson, Founder and CEO of WilderLab Ltd
2022 Supreme Award Winner
