Turner Judy: Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill — First Reading 
Turner Judy: Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:618;Page:14231] 
JUDY TURNER (United Future) 
: 
 I stand on behalf of United Future to support the first reading of the Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill. This bill is about rescinding the Dairy Industry Act so that the dairy industry can be included under the existing Animal Products Act and it is about amending the Animal Products (Ancillary and Transitional Provisions) Act. Its policy objectives are clearly defined and extremely prudent. They are: to manage the risks to human and animal health from the consumption and use of dairy products and to facilitate the entry of New Zealand dairy products to overseas markets through improved quality assurances. Those objectives are outcome-based and less coercive than previous legislative-led intentions. 
The bill applies to all aspects of the dairying process from the cowshed to the retailer and is focused on identifying and managing health and hygiene risks throughout the process. All dairy processes will be required to operate under a risk management programme unless they are deemed to be better regulated under another Act. 
The need to repeal the Dairy Industry Act is apparent. It is a 51-year-old Act that fuses a mixture of laws some dating back to 1892. The Dairy Industry Act is rigid and prescriptive and it is time indeed for a revamp. 
This animal products legislation reflects current industry and legislative practices by using a risk-based management approach to control hazards. It also uses the regulatory model for verification in the use of recognised agencies. As someone who was raised on a dairy farm it is fascinating for me to see how much a primary industry can evolve over time. The range of value-added products now marketed worldwide compared with the humble cream can sitting on the stand by the gate waiting for collection is a credit and testimony to those who manage direct and participate in this vital industry. 
 The bill sets out to manage the fact that multiple business interests have handled many products by the time they reach consumers so that confidence needs to be consistent at each stage. The risk to business of the poor performance by one contributor to the process is immense and internationally recognised risk management is vital. It is pleasing to note that there were efforts to consult industry members about the underlying issue the bill seeks to address. As with any proposed legislation that affects the livelihood of stakeholders both large and small participation in the process—and hopefully buy-in—brings integrity to the bill and adds value to its intention. 
Consultation on that proposal has included discussion papers and the invitation to stakeholders to make submissions. Support was forthcoming which included support from a dairy reference group established for the purpose of representing the interests of the dairy industry. Several options were considered when looking at the proposal and the decision was to opt for an approach that was as future-proof as possible in allowing for the ongoing development of this industry. 
The guiding principles of this bill deserve recognition. Change is minimised where possible to allow for as little disruption to the practice as possible. Harmonisation is specifically sought to further allow for the ease of transition. There will be no technical change without the consultation of affected parties and documents language and processes will be clear and concise. Those principles inherent in the bill help to ensure best practice and best results. 
The regulatory model used for this bill is judiciously risk-based and outcome-focused. It will afford industry more responsibility for producing safe food and give the necessary flexibility to achieve desired outcomes. The functionality of the model is commendable. It will add value to industry practice and procedure and help to ensure ongoing success and best practice. We are very pleased to support this first reading.