New Zealand’s glyphosate assessment was built on a selective evidence base — and the 2017 Bruning–Browning review exposed just how much science never made it into the room. In this bonus investigation, we explore the missing studies, the unpublished data, the methodological shortcuts, and what these gaps mean for trust, transparency, and the future of chemical oversight in New Zealand.
New Zealand’s EPA is back in court — and the arguments sound eerily familiar. In the final part of our mini-series, we look at why the agency’s 2025 defence mirrors the same assumptions, gaps, and borrowed conclusions challenged in 2017, and what this means for glyphosate regulation, public trust, and the future of chemical oversight in New Zealand.
New Zealand’s glyphosate decisions didn’t falter because the science was unclear — but because the system leaned on industry-influenced agencies and untested assumptions. Here’s how that coziness shaped our regulatory outcomes.
A 2017 review warned the NZ EPA had overlooked major glyphosate risks. Eight years later, those same issues are heading to court — and nothing has changed.
Glyphosate is legally classified as a Hazardous Substance, yet most of Roundup’s ingredients remain secret. Europe now requires full disclosure — so why doesn’t New Zealand?
Tutin in honey can trigger seizures — so NZ enforces strict limits and testing. Glyphosate? It’s in everyday food, yet quietly accepted. Why the double standard?
We assume new chemicals are tested for safety — but in most cases, only one ingredient is tested, not the full spray. Is our system protecting us — or industry?
Most pesticide safety tests ignore the real-world spray. A new study reveals regulators don’t test the full formulation — just the declared ingredient. What does that mean for New Zealand’s food system, public health, and global credibility?
We asked why glyphosate‑based weedkillers sold in NZ don’t carry clearer health warnings. The Minister replied — but she answered a different question entirely.
As Bayer signals a retreat from glyphosate, the scramble to replace it is already underway. But many of the new “solutions” look a lot like old mistakes. Is New Zealand prepared — or just rebranding the same broken system?
