King Colin: Food Bill — First Reading 
King Colin: Food Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:665;Page:12627] 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to address the Food Bill at its first reading. Having listened to all the speakers who have spoken before me I say that I think those who are listening would come to understand that having somebody looking over the shoulder of everybody who is producing food for sale would be quite impossible and therefore we need to have a good solid reliable food plan that the business itself fully understands. On that basis this is why the bill is so good. It makes it easier for business to fully understand their responsibilities their requirements and their undertakings in the preparation of food for sale and food provided for a whole range of things. I just want to clear up that point because when we use the term “easier for business” it can be construed at times that we are actually taking shortcuts but really in this context in the Food Bill “easier for business” means that it is clear and understandable and well and truly articulated. Business can effectively take ownership of it they can write up their own food plans inside the framework that has been designed and then they can be audited by the local territorial authority against the food plan that they have designed. This all comes under the overall auspices of central government so that has to be very good. 
I will take a couple of moments to draw people’s attention to the parts of the bill that I think add value. Clause 94 clearly articulates the exemption for certain persons involved in community-based fund-raising activities. The only point I would raise is that the proposed transition from the existing food regulations to the Food Bill when it is enacted into law is said to take 5 years but I certainly hope that it does not take 5 years before we start sorting ourselves out around sausage sizzles cake stalls and preserves. 
On the other side of it I will turn to schedule 1 which covers food sectors subject to food control plans. I think this part clearly improves the bill considerably because again it enshrines in legislation those parts and the very purpose and intention of that framework. It does not give anybody the excuse or the opportunity to say that it was not clearly articulated. Obviously there have been considerable inconsistencies throughout the country in the way local authorities have insisted on standards. I believe that this bill certainly makes an improvement. The Government feels that this bill is indeed an improvement over the previous Government’s bill as it includes a massive schedule covering what the food control plans will look like. 
It is also worth noting that a considerable amount of this bill is set down for the purpose of articulating infringement offences. It goes right through the whole process which is considerable. Again the whole tenor of this bill puts the responsibility back on those people who are governed by it—those people who are in the food business. I think that that is very appropriate when we consider that just over a year from now we will be hosting one of the largest sporting events in the world and possibly the largest sporting event that New Zealand will host. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: That sheep-shearing competition? 
COLIN KING 
: I would like to think it is but it is not. That competition is headed off by a nose by the Rugby World Cup. On that basis one’s mind is cast back to 1995 when we were over in South Africa. We had an incident that could have cost this country the second World Cup win. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: It did. 
COLIN KING 
: I take the member’s comment that it did; I would not go as far as to say that. When we have our 85000 to 90000—maybe even 100000—visitors here in 2011 I am sure they will return home after having had a very very enjoyable experience after the Primary Production Committee has applied itself to getting out any gremlins from this legislation so that it works effectively and it serves possibly our largest industry now if not in the future which is tourism. If we have people coming here and they know that our lamb in the EU or the US is one of the highest protein value products they can buy they will also expect the exact same from our tourism industry. But if we do not have the food standards the food preparation and the certainty to present to our tourists then we are failing them miserably. It is with great enthusiasm and pleasure that I support this bill and I commend it to the House.