Comptroller's Introduction
Effective border management is essential for any nation’s economic prosperity, security, and protection of its citizens from external threats. The New Zealand Customs Service (Customs), along with other border agencies, fulfils this role on behalf of Government and New Zealanders. Customs has staff in 16 locations within New Zealand and five locations overseas. Our extensive presence, capability and infrastructure at the border means we have a vital contribution to make to border management, and all three Government themes of Economic Transformation, Families – young and old, and National Identity.
While Customs contributes to all three Government themes, Economic Transformation is of particular focus. Our contribution is reflected through mitigation of risks to the New Zealand economy and society posed by the international movement of people, goods and craft; and through facilitation of legitimate trade and travel, and collection of revenue to support Government’s social, economic and fiscal objectives.
New Zealand’s economic transformation relies on its international reputation as a safe, secure and honest country to trade with and travel to. As one of the agencies operating in the external sector*, Customs advances Government’s external policy by working to maintain New Zealand’s international reputation and gain benefits from active participation in the international economy.
* - The external sector is comprised of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Defence, the New Zealand Defence Force, and the New Zealand Customs Service.
In particular, we support the international competitiveness of New Zealand’s exporters by using our technical expertise, international reputation and contacts to improve the efficiency of New Zealand’s export supply chains and reduce barriers to overseas markets. Overall, we are committed to ensuring that our border management advances New Zealand’s economic transformation, protects our unique culture, values and identity as a nation, and helps New Zealanders to live in safety.
Effective border management requires a coordinated and collaborative effort from border agencies collectively. While Customs’ place at the border means we make a major contribution to border management, other border agencies have vital roles to fulfil. The formal recognition of the border sector**, and development of a border sector strategic framework and work programme during 2007, will continue to focus the agencies in the sector on streamlining and improving our collective border management going forward.
** - The border sector is comprised of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Transport, the Department of Labour, and the New Zealand Customs Service.
Last year’s Statement of Intent signalled the consolidation of several years’ effort to expand Customs’ capability and capacity to meet Government’s response to the heightened international security concerns following September 11, 2001; and to respond to increases to trade and travel volumes. These continue to influence our operating environment, along with other influences internationally and domestically, such as an increase in the support Customs provides to other agencies to meet various government objectives. Currently, Customs works with or on behalf of 20 New Zealand agencies.
Over the next three years, our challenge will be to maintain the international competitiveness of New Zealand’s border management system in the face of increasing trade and travel volumes, security requirements and service expectations. We aim to meet this objective by focusing on three priorities – developing world-class trade facilitation arrangements, developing world-class passenger clearance services, and achieving specialist support for New Zealand’s international interests and relationships.
A key theme within these priorities is the recognition that to achieve effective border management, we need to focus on Customs’ relationships with all our stakeholders. This includes international organisations, agencies and jurisdictions; and New Zealand border sector and other agencies, businesses and industry groups, communities, iwi and hapu, and individuals.
We will also need to ensure that the border management Information Technology system that Customs has stewardship of is capable of meeting future demands. This is the most significant piece of infrastructure supporting New Zealand’s border management. Customs will continue the redevelopment of the border management Information Technology system to ensure we can continue to effectively process high volumes of trade and travel transactions, efficiently generate timely information for risk management purposes, and meet international data standards.
Through our place at the border, Customs has a significant role in maintaining the safety and prosperity of New Zealand. This Statement of Intent sets out the positive contribution we expect to make over the next three years.
Martyn Dunne, CNZM
Comptroller of Customs