Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:613;Page:10066] 
10.  
SUE KEDGLEY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Food Safety 
: Does she have confidence that New Zealand’s interests are always able to be protected through Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council; if so why? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister for Food Safety) 
: 
 Yes I have every confidence in the joint food standards setting system delivering on New Zealand’s interests. That includes the work of Food Safety Australia New Zealand and the decisions of the ministerial council. The joint food standards setting system has delivered New Zealand a comprehensive state-of-the-art food standards code that sets out not only a full range of generic labelling provisions that address both safety and consumer information but also where necessary provides a number of specific standards. 
Sue Kedgley 
: How can New Zealand’s interests always be protected when we have one vote out of 10 on the ministerial council and when the Australian Federal Health Minister can give written directions to Food Standards Australia New Zealand on any matter which the authority must comply with even when New Zealand disagrees with that direction; and can she confirm that the New Zealand Minister of Health has no such powers? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Any food standard is first of all communicated to the public through a discussion document in which consultation must take place. It then goes to the ministerial council for a decision to be made and that decision is made public. New Zealand has the right to call for a review on any standard as does any Minister. We also have the right to set a separate standard. That does give New Zealand a lot of ability to have a very large say. I must say that the member herself has been to my office to congratulate Food Safety Australia New Zealand on setting a new food code that included nutritional labelling so I presume the member was happy with that decision. 
Nanaia Mahuta 
: Can the Minister explain any other advantage for New Zealand from having joint food standards? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Food Standards Australia New Zealand ensures consistent standards and facilitates food trade thus increasing the local New Zealand food trade market from 4 million people to 23 million people. This arrangement also reflects our close relationship with Australia and most people would agree that that is a good thing—except in rugby. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister support the statement of her colleague Ruth Dyson who said recently: “This is an open Government that has democracy at the centre of its decision-making procedures.”; if so why did she agree on 4 April this year to keep secret all official advice to the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council which makes final decisions on matters such as food labelling and other issues of great concern to New Zealanders? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The decision to withhold official information to the council was made a long time ago—before I became the Minister. It was decided that decisions would always be communicated to the public but in terms of discussions that took place within the ministerial council that information would not be made public. I have confirmed only what has been the practice for a number of years. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Why does it say on the website that those procedures were agreed by the ministerial council on 4 April this year; is it not the case that if the Australian Conservative Federal Government decided to change our GE labelling laws as part of its free-trade deal with the US—which of course is under discussion right now—the decision could be discussed in secret at the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council; and is it not also true that ultimately if the Australian Government did not get its way in the council it could simply direct Food Standards Australia New Zealand to make changes even if the New Zealand Government did not support them? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I think it goes: no no and no.