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What specific purposes are the Ministry for Primary Industries' 25 Microsoft Copilot licences being used for, and is Copilot used in any way to inform, support, or prioritise biosecurity decisions, food-safety regulation, or fisheries compliance and prosecutions?

Answered Question 28435 (2026)
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Asked by

Camilla Belich

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • What specific purposes are the Ministry for Primary Industries' 25 Microsoft Copilot licences being used for, and is Copilot used in any way to inform, support, or prioritise biosecurity decisions, food-safety regulation, or fisheries compliance and prosecutions?

Answered by

Hon Todd McClay

Member for Rotorua · National Party · Minister of Agriculture

Answer

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) currently uses the 25 Microsoft 365 Copilot licences as part of a proof of concept to test staff productivity and generic business efficiency application, including drafting, editing, summarising, meeting management, data analysis, and coding. I am advised these licences are not being used to inform, support, or prioritise biosecurity decisions, food-safety regulation, or fisheries compliance and prosecutions.