McKelvie Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMcKelvie Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 06 August 2013. Volume:692;Page:12310. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.IANMcKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei)to theMinister of Trade: What reports has he received of international reactions to the potential contamination of whey protein concentrate?Hon TIM GROSER (Minister of Trade):New Zealand posts in affected markets are continuing to liaise with authorities and to share information with them as the extent of the contamination comes to hand. Governments are reacting in exactly the way we would expect and most are taking a very measured approach. We have to recognise that the situation is fluid and that new import restrictions and new testing requirements may be introduced at any time. But today as I am answering this question of the eight potentially affected markets only one has applied a suspension of imports. That is China and China has been very measured in that response. It has suspended the importation of whey protein and dairy-based powder manufactured by Fonterra including Australian-produced products using Fonterra whey powder protein as an ingredient. I would just like to add for members here that the phrase “dairy-based powder” is a little misleading to anyone who is not a technical expert. It does not include our major powder exports. Clarification on this point by the Deputy Prime Minister earlier has indicated that it is actually a very small part of our total dairy exports that has been affected so far by the Chinese authorities’ legitimate decision. But of course because it is a fluid situation and it may well change we are keeping this under the closest possible review.The Governments of Malaysia Thailand Viet Nam Singapore Australia and Saudi Arabia and the authorities in the separate customs territory of Hong Kong are keeping the situation under review as you would expect them to. Contrary to some earlier reports I am advised today that there is presently no import ban on New Zealand products in place in Russia which is different advice than we received only yesterday. Our overseas posts are working very closely with the host Governments and the authorities and regulators concerned to ensure that these countries have as full information as possible to protect the health of their children. I understand the VietNamese Singaporean and Russian Governments have undertaken precautionary recalls—not import bans but recalls—of potentially affected product.Danone has undertaken precautionary recalls of potentially affected product in Malaysia.Ian McKelvie: What measures will the Government be taking to reassure overseas markets and consumers?Hon TIM GROSER: All efforts are currently focused on the job at hand which is consumer health both at home and overseas as the Prime Minister and other Ministers have previously explained. Once we have worked through those issues by locating and quarantining all potentially affected product we will then begin the critical task of restoring the trust and confidence of our overseas markets in the New Zealand supplychain. I would just like to reiterate the fundamental point that the Prime Minister has made which is that we have over 100 years of experience in delivering high-quality safe food to consumers in multiple countries and that is the base to which we will return. How we Fonterra and the other dairy companies that we are in close contact with manage this situation in the weeks and months ahead will clearly determine how well we recover from it. The whole of Government is focused on this issue.