McKelvie Ian: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMcKelvie Ian: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 11 March 2015. Volume:703;Page:2113. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.IAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei) to the Minister for Primary Industries: What steps has the Government taken in responding to the criminal threat to New Zealand’s infant and other milk formula products?Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries): Although the threat has been assessed by police as being low and possibly a hoax the Government is treating the nature of the threat seriously. As soon as this threat was received in late November last year an all-of-Government response was initiated and every resource has been made available to treat this issue as a top priority. Since that time every possible step has been and is being taken to respond to this threat and ensure the ongoing safety of our food products.Ian McKelvie: What specific measures are in place that will ensure the integrity of our infant and other formulas?Hon NATHAN GUY: Over the last few months we have taken expert advice on how to respond to a threat of this type and made considered decisions. Officials have analysed the supply chain in meticulous detail right through from cow to can and have worked with manufacturers to put in place additional security measures. On top of our normal thorough testing auditing and verification system we have a comprehensive new 1080 testing regime for dairy products which gives us a high degree of confidence in the safety of New Zealand infant formula. It is extremely unlikely that anybody could deliberately contaminate formula during the manufacturing process and there is no evidence of this ever having occurred.Ian McKelvie: Why did the Government not go public as soon as the threat was received?Hon NATHAN GUY: This is first and foremost a police investigation into a criminal threat. The Government took advice from police and officials on the timing of the announcement. The threat was assessed by police as being low and possibly a hoax. If there was any serious risk to consumers this would have changed the approach. The Government has taken this time to work closely with manufacturers to bring in a new testing regime and further improve security. Thanks to this work we are now able to give every reassurance to mums and dads both here and around the world that infant formula they are using is as safe today as it was prior to the threat being received.Ron Mark: Is it customary with a bioterrorism threat to reveal that police have no leads and to alarm the general public and our trading partners while also giving massive publicity to the perpetrators of the crime?Mr SPEAKER: The Hon Nathan Guy in so far as there is ministerial responsibility.Hon NATHAN GUY: That is an outrageous allegation from that member. If the member listened to the answers and the questions he would have known the thorough process that the Government has been through and the reasons for that.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am seeking your assistance Mr Speaker. My question was whether it is customary. I heard all the other explanation but I have asked him whether it is customary.Mr SPEAKER: Order! No. On this occasion it is questionable whether it was even of ministerial responsibility—addressed to the Minister for Primary Industries. The question has been addressed.Hon Damien O’Connor: Why then did the Minister and his colleague the Prime Minister use the term “ecoterrorism” which has heightened the international concern and publicity over an incident that the New Zealand Police has called criminal blackmail?Hon NATHAN GUY: It is definitely both. I stand by the statements that I made yesterday.Hon Damien O’Connor: You’ve overblown it.Hon NATHAN GUY: No we have not.Ron Mark: Given that the Prime Minister has told us that this was kept quiet by over 1000 people for 3 months and that the supply chain has been secured is the only reason it was revealed yesterday like with the Government Communications Security Bureau and the Iraq deployment that some reporters have been tipped off to make this an issue in the middle of a tight by-election?Mr SPEAKER: Again in so far as the Minister feels he has ministerial responsibility the Hon Nathan Guy.Hon NATHAN GUY: No that is completely incorrect. I think that member has been travelling on a bus in Northland going round a roundabout the wrong way.Ian McKelvie: Why did the Government alert overseas markets prior to the announcement yesterday?Hon NATHAN GUY: When the Government says that overseas markets were notified in advance we are not saying that overseas consumers were notified ahead of New Zealanders. We briefed overseas authorities prior to the notification of the threat in the same way that New Zealand authorities were briefed. It is important to remember that a large quantity of our infant formula is exported and consumed by families overseas. It is prudent that overseas regulators were also able to answer any questions that overseas consumers may have had as soon as the news broke to help mitigate any adverse reaction to New Zealand dairy products. So far I must say this reaction has been very measured.