Perry Edwin: Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill — First Reading 
Perry Edwin: Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:618;Page:14229] 
EDWIN PERRY (NZ First) 
: 
 I am speaking on behalf of my colleague Mr Doug Woolerton who is a very effective member on the Primary Production Committee and has a lot of expertise within this area. 
New Zealand First is supporting the referral of this bill namely the Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill to the select committee. Bills Digest No. 1116 gives a clear overview of this bill. This bill needs to be passed without any constraints so the industry can get on with its business. The dairy industry I must say in the Wairarapa plays a major role in keeping the rural sector going and the urban sector obviously by producing income and employment in those rural areas. We have just heard from the Minister that the national income of the dairy industry is $5.8 billion which is— 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: That’s just for cheese. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: I thank my colleague from the National Party for that comment—an abbreviation of the income. Now let us look at some of the key points of this bill. Bills Digest No. 1116 states: “Purpose: The main aims of the Bill are to provide for the: regulation of the dairy industry under the Animal Products Act 1999 (Animal Products Act or Act) and to repeal the Dairy Industry Act 1952 (Dairy Industry Act); management of the risks to human and animal health from the consumption and use of dairy products; and facilitation of entry of dairy products to overseas markets by providing the controls and mechanisms needed for market access and the giving of official assurances.” I would like to look at what is stated under heading “Background”. This states: “ ‘The Animal Products Act applies to all animals animal material and animal product unless they are excluded. Dairy produce is currently excluded from the Animal Products Act. This Bill will remove that exclusion’. All dairy processors will be required to operate under a risk management programme unless they are excluded or exempt from all or part of the Animal Products Act. ‘The Bill also provides for amendments to be made to the Animal Products Act which amend the operation of the Act. These amendments will include amendments to the export requirements the conditions which can be applied to risk management programmes and the risk management requirements for multi-business risk management programmes. A range of other essentially technical amendments will also be made.’ ” 
Under the main heading “Main Provisions” in the Bills Digest is the paragraph headed “Commencement” and I will cover just one point here. That paragraph states: “The Bill will come into force on 01 July 2004 except for the amendments made to the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974 which come into effect on 01 July 2005 ( 
Clause 2; Part 2 Clause 32(1)(e) Schedule 3 in relation to the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974) 
.” Then stated under the heading “Definitions”: “The Bill inserts new definitions to incorporate the dairy industry in the Act. These definitions include ‘dairy material’ (‘animal material’ that is milk extracted from a ‘milking animal’ and any material derived from that material) ‘milk’ (the ‘mammary secretions of milking animals’) ‘dairy processing’ (all processing activities in relation to dairy material)”. 
 I shall deal quickly with the paragraph headed “Power to exempt dairy material from Act” in the Bills Digest and I think this is important. It is stated there that the bill enables the Governor-General by Order in Council to exempt dairy material dairy product or dairy processors from all or parts of the Animal Products Act if certain criteria are met. 
It is further stated that: “A transition period of 12 months will apply to all dairy processors operating at the time of commencement and who are not operating under product safety programmes. Those that operate under the Dairy Industry Regulations will be able to continue operations under those regulations for the period of the transition. By the time that year has expired they will be required to operate under a risk management programme or a food safety programme.” which I think is the key part of this bill. There is a lot of common sense in this bill and New Zealand First recommends it and supports its referral to the select committee.