Ardern Shane: Food Bill — First Reading 
Ardern Shane: Food Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:665;Page:12619] 
SHANE ARDERN (National—Taranaki - King Country) 
: 
 I rise in support of the Food Bill. I thank the Minister for Food Safety for showing confidence in the Primary Production Committee by suggesting that later on she will move that this bill be referred to that committee. I also assure the previous speaker Ashraf Choudhary that in the Primary Production Committee there will be a fair open process and we will give submitters fair time to submit. I think it is in the best interests of the whole of Parliament to get this bill right. 
As the Minister said in her opening comments 200000 small businesses across New Zealand are involved in the food selling and catering business—a domestic economy of $5 billion. Of course as an export nation—and New Zealand is an export nation—well over 50 percent of our exports come from primary sector industries despite figures that Treasury constantly puts out. Most of those primary sector exports are food in some form or another. It is essential that New Zealand get this right. 
As the Minister said a few issues need to be addressed. It is substantial legislation. We have had for some time in this country a whole range of different bits of legislation many of them outdated. The Food Act itself dates back to 1981. There are also of course the food hygiene regulations from 1974 the Animal Products Act 1999 the Wine Act 2003 and many many others that I am sure will be impacted by the passing of this bill and the work that the select committee does in terms of how that interface takes place. 
The previous speaker mentioned an issue that comes up politically all the time—he will make a fine contribution I hasten to add on the select committee. He has a science background a Massey University background and a whole life experience in the production I guess of food. 
One of the issues that come up all the time and that was raised by the previous speaker is the issue of the school barbecue the fund-raising event the cake stall and that kind of thing. We must ensure in our endeavours to make sure that we are thorough in our work around food safety and the marketing and sale of food both domestically and internationally but that we do not put in place a whole lot of costly compliance and regulation and unintended consequences for those who want to be involved in community activities such as the school barbecue or in the rural electorates the school calf day. Unfortunately the State has a bit of a reputation of being heavy-handed over the top and sometimes ridiculous in the compliance requirements that it places on those people. Putting in place a framework that can accommodate both that and also imported and exported food so that we absolutely guarantee our “100% Pure New Zealand” brand which is so valuable to us—in fact it is the No. 1 brand for New Zealand—is an essential piece of work for the Government and the select committee to carry out. 
The number of reported cases of illness in New Zealand in recent years related to food-borne bacteria or diseases has been too high. So there is a need for a stringent framework around those who work with and handle food and who work within the food industry in the catering of food for domestic consumption etc. At the same time our integrity internationally is at risk if we do not make sure that food exported from New Zealand meets the highest possible international standard that it is reasonable to expect an exporting nation to meet. 
There have been a number of claims—I know that as a constituent MP I field them regularly—that the compliance costs placed on our exporters because we are very determined to maintain the integrity around the “100% Pure New Zealand” brand are such that it seems unfair that importers of food into New Zealand do not appear to have to meet that standard. I do not know whether that is factual but it is often asserted. This is an opportunity I guess for those who feel as though they have evidence that there is a double standard in terms of what one must do to export from New Zealand as opposed to competitors for that same product importing into New Zealand to bring forward their claims and substantiate them. If they are proven to be correct I am sure there will be an opportunity to highlight some of that in the process that we have before us. 
This is a very important piece of work that Parliament will undertake. I suspect it is one of those pieces of work that will go on below the radar but one never knows. I give Parliament the assurance that the Primary Production Committee will carry out its work in a thorough open transparent and fair way. All of those who are involved in the process will no doubt have their opportunity to participate in it. Thank you for the opportunity to contribute today. This is a fine piece of work and I look forward to it going through the Parliament.