Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:614;Page:10714] 
8.  
SUE KEDGLEY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Food Safety 
: Can she confirm that all agendas papers discussions and minutes from the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council meeting last Friday are confidential; if so when if ever will these documents be made public? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister for Food Safety) 
: 
 Papers from the ministerial council are not released in either country. This has been the case since the council was established in 1996 a position that the Ombudsman has upheld. However all food standards and policy directions agreed to are subject to public consultation process in both countries. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Can the Minister explain why a representative of Australian local government can attend the secret ministerial council meeting whereas New Zealand members of Parliament and even those with a vital interest in food issues are unable to attend or even obtain a copy of the agenda or minutes of these meetings? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Because this is the longstanding tradition that was established when the council was established. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Has the Minister seen any reports concerning public awareness that a meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council Ministers was taking place in Auckland last Friday? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes I have seen a press release from Sue Kedgley dated last Thursday in which she said the meeting was about to occur in total publicity blackout. The council meeting was actually included in the ministerial media diary a week before taking place. A number of media attended the media conference at the end of it and a media communiqué was issued. The only person who seems to be suffering from blackout is Sue Kedgley. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Given the vital interest in food issues amongst New Zealanders why does her Government continue to support keeping all policy papers agendas and meetings of the ministerial council secret and beyond the reach of the Official Information Act? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Because all food standards that are agreed to and policy directions are subject to public consultation before the Ministers make the decision. They are out there in the public if the member cares to read them. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Did the secret ministerial council meeting discuss the secret results— 
Government Members 
: Ha ha! 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Every member in this House is entitled to ask questions with silence from other members. I ask Ms Kedgley to start again. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Did the ministerial council meeting which was held in secret discuss the secret results of the testing of GE food that was carried out earlier this year and did the Minister explain to the meeting why she refuses to release these test results and is currently struggling to suppress them against my request to release them under the Official Information Act? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: No. First of all the meeting was not a secret meeting. It was well advertised before the meeting was held. 
Rod Donald 
: What about GE testing? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: No we did not discuss GE testing because that was discussed at the previous meeting before the report was released. The report was then released.