Connell Brian: Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill — In Committee 
Connell Brian: Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:624;Page:19138] 
BRIAN CONNELL (National—Rakaia) 
: 
 I notice that when my colleague Lynda Scott spoke on this bill she said that the parties over the last two Parliaments including with this one were in agreement with this legislation. I have no argument with that because that support is based on the dairy industry itself saying that this is the type of legislation it wants though I think that the industry is giving that confirmation through gritted teeth. I notice that the argument has been mounted that this is a modernisation of the Dairy Industry Act but although casual listeners to these proceedings could be excused for thinking that the dairy industry has not progressed at all under that Act of course quite the contrary of that is the truth. The dairy industry in fact has managed itself and created an industry that is second to none in this country and we should be standing up and applauding its efforts. Here is an industry now that I think on last count was trading in 42 different countries around the world. It is an industry that by anyone’s standard has done very well. In fact I think its contribution to export earnings for this country is something like $5.5 billion—nearly as big as the surplus that Michael Cullen hoards; the surplus that he has taken from hard-working taxpayers in this country. 
I do not buy the argument though that this measure is something that has to be done to the dairy industry for its own good. This industry has had the ability to self-regulate itself to such an extent that it is the envy of other primary producing organisations around this country. The health standards that the dairy industry or Fonterra imposes on its suppliers is something that members should make themselves aware of if they do not already know about them. I notice my colleague Dr Paul Hutchison has a significant interest in the dairy industry and when he takes a call he will be able to attest to that fact as well. 
Then we get into the talk about risk management programmes as if we are putting them in place for our own good. Well I have to say that the risk management programmes that the dairy industry already has in place are first class. This legislation is essentially a technical confirmation to make the industry come up to what is supposedly an international standard. I say “supposedly” because when I look at some of the regulations the bureaucracy and the strangling of enterprise in some overseas economies I cannot help but think that we are being brought back to the pack somehow by putting in place this type of legislation. That worries me; it worries me a lot. I think what is happening is that we are being told particularly by European nations that this is the type of standard they want. That comes from nations that in terms of their primary production are not even on the same page as the New Zealand dairy industry or New Zealand dairy farmers when it comes to actually being productive and in terms of the health standards that they impose. I cannot help but think that in some way falling for their rhetoric and dancing to their tune is going to do us damage in the long term. What we will lose is our ability to set the standard to be flexible and to be nimble. 
Then of course I look at who is driving this legislation and I see those words “the Food Safety Authority”. Well that organisation makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It has the reputation across the primary industries of this country of being almost like the Gestapo. It is bureaucratic it is all-powerful it does not listen and it has been driving business after business out of business. The Minister in the chair Marian Hobbs is shaking her head but that is simply out of ignorance. If she were more in touch with what was happening around this country she would know that what I am saying is quite right. We have set a standard now that is almost so impossible to reach that people are throwing up their hands and saying that it is just too hard.