A union that represents New Zealand's biosecurity officers says a recruitment drive begs the question of why the Government got rid of the positions in the first place.
Last week Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy announced the Government was looking to hire 30 new quarantine inspectors. This followed an announcement of 46 new inspector positions last year.
The Public Service Association union says restructuring, budget cuts and a sinking lid policy saw more than 90 frontline border biosecurity positions lost between 2008 and 2012.
National secretary Richard Wagstaff says it is ironic border staff numbers are now being brought back to where they were originally.
