Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:616;Page:11702] 
1. JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Food Safety 
: Is she satisfied that there is adequate information available to New Zealanders who wish to make an informed scientific submission on Monsanto’s application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to approve food derived from genetically modified Roundup-tolerant wheat for sale in New Zealand? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister for Food Safety) 
: 
 Yes. The application is at the initial assessment stage—stage one. The initial assessment requires the applicant to include information of studies and tests relevant to the application and the product. It is a four-stage process which enables public consultation in two of the stages and takes up to 1 year to complete. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: How does the Minister expect New Zealanders to comply with the authority’s specific request for comment on the scientific and food safety aspects of the application when they have been told they have to come to Wellington at their own expense and then pay $25 just to look at the only New Zealand copy of the scientific data on which the application is based; and why in this modern world can it not be placed on the website? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The reason it is not placed on the website is that the application is about a foot high. It is available to members of the public here in Wellington. If they would like to come in and photocopy it they could have every bit of information they like. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Did the Minister or any of her officials or anyone else representing New Zealand ever agree to this method of making the scientific data available so that only people who could afford an air fare to Wellington could see it or is this just another way that key decisions affecting the New Zealand public have been delegated to unaccountable unelected overseas authorities? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The process that is used in any application has been in place for a long time. I am surprised that if the member is so concerned about the process she has not raised it in all the time that we have had Food Standards Australia New Zealand in operation which is a number of years. It is a four-part process. It is open and transparent. There are two stages in which the public can be part of that consultation. This very initial stage is not about whether there should be approval for this assessment but whether it should even proceed with a food standard. 
Nanaia Mahuta 
: Can the Minister outline the time frame for dealing with the applications? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes. The time frame as I said in my initial answer can take up to 1 year. Unlike the information that was put out by the Greens—where they said this was a hasty process; a rather rushed process—there are four stages to it. It takes up to a year and it is the same time frame that has been taken on every food standard that we set. It is no different for this one than it is for example for the standard that is being drawn up for country-of-origin labelling. 
Sue Kedgley 
: How can the public have confidence in the safety of genetically engineered food if they are not able to readily access the research the studies and the tests on which their safety assessments are based? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: As I said there are four parts to this process. There is the ability to see the scientific risk assessment after the public consultation and after the draft assessment report has been drawn up. Then there is further public consultation. They get to see all the scientific assessment that is being prepared. I suggest that the Greens look on the website at how to make a submission. It sets out the four-part process exactly what happens and what scientific evidence will be available at what stage. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Is the Minister saying that because there is one later stage where the public can have input that this stage is not a real consultation but only a sham or is she saying that the data will actually be on the website for the second stage? Anyway does she think it is acceptable that we have learnt today that the sole copy of the scientific data which submitters have been advised can be inspected only in Wellington will not be in the country for another week—7 days before submissions close? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That question was too long and had too many parts to it. The Minister can comment briefly. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The process is not a sham. It is the same process we have used to set all our food standards since we have had the joint agency in operation.